Vision is a miraculous gift. During every waking second our eyes collect light, focus it on responsive tissue and send millions upon millions of impulses to our brain. In our brain, this enormous and dynamic array of signals is somehow (Science doesn’t know how) translated into conscious images—a fiery sunset, the words in a novel, the price tag on a dress. But, the quality of these images may not hold steady as years go by.

For many of us who have been around for forty years or more, the quality of the information our brain receives from our eyes just isn’t what it used to be. Over time, changes in some parts of our eyes simply don’t allow light to reach the responsive 'signal receiving' area of our eyes, the retina, as well as it did in the early days. The retina may be just fine, but it isn’t getting what it needs to send clear data on to our brain through the optic nerve. Our good fortune is that modern medical technology and professional expertise are providing powerful new approaches to bringing back the capacities of our eyes to receive light the way our brain needs them to.

One result of time’s passage can be farsightedness. That is, we may be able to see the far away sunset, but we may not be able to see a photo of a sunset as well as we did in days past. At the supermarket, the nutritional information on a can of Campbell soup may no longer be readable. Close up vision isn’t as good as it used to be, and one cause of this is due to the flattening of a part of our eyes known as the cornea. The cornea has been called the outer window of the eye since light, as it enters our eye, passes first through the cornea.

Help for this kind of problem can come from a visit to the optometrist who can provide an examination and prescribe lenses for a set of reading glasses, bifocals, or contact lenses. Reading glasses and bifocals are a solid solution and have served well for many years, but they have their drawbacks. They can get lost, stepped on, or they can be uncomfortable if worn for long periods. Contact lenses are fine too, but can be a lot of fuss and bother.

Eye Center patient, Cathy Proffitt, says she had a pair of glasses in every room, until she had her corneas treated using a relatively new procedure. It’s called CK (a registered service mark of Refractec, Inc.), short for the fancy name of, 'conductive keratoplasty.' This is a non-surgical technique that restores the shape of the cornea, so that it allows light to focus better on the retina again. By gently and precisely applying radio frequency energy to the cornea, it can be brought back to its more rounded shape allowing it to do its job well once again. But, how would you decide if CK is an option for you? The risks are considered to be minimal, and complications are described as, 'extremely rare.' But, practitioners point out that there is always some degree of risk, however small, associated with any medical procedure. If you have moved on into your forties and previously had good vision, but notice problems with near vision, you may want to have an eye exam by an ophthalmologist—a physician who specializes in the care of eyes. Be sure to ask about the benefits and risks.

According to information provided by the offices of Dr. Larry E. Patterson of the Eye Centers of Tennessee located in Crossville, Tennessee, 'If you are over 40 and wearing reading glasses or suffering from headaches after focusing on near objects, you may be a candidate for CK.' There is no cutting, the procedure is performed in the office, takes only 3 to 5 minutes and is virtually painless. Cathy Proffitt’s CK procedure was performed at Eye Centers of Tennessee in Crossville and she couldn’t be more delighted. She points out, 'There was no pain, and it took about fifteen minutes.' She could read type smaller than newsprint right after surgery. Proffitt says her vision fluctuated for about four weeks before settling in to its new fine-tuning.

Janet Waycaster, who had the procedure done by Dr. Charles Kirby at The Chattanooga Eye Institute in Chattanooga, reports that she was able to go to work the next day. Jane Bowne had CK done, 'in her own backyard,' so to speak. She is the Practice Administrator at the Chattanooga Eye Institute and had CK done where she works. Her eyes felt a little dry for a few days, but eye drops took care of that, a problem that disappeared completely in two weeks. Her newly refreshed near vision was there immediately.

Another common source of vision problems involves a different part of the eye, the lens. After light passes through the cornea, it encounters the lens, and the lens, just like any lens, functions to focus light. In our eyes, when it’s working well, the lens focuses light on the proper surfaces of the retina, so that good working data can be sent along to our brain. In order to work as they should, lenses must be clear, but over time, they can become cloudy. When a lens becomes cloudy, it disperses light, rather than focusing it. A cataract is a cloudy lens that interferes with light passing on to the retina.

Cataracts are common in those of us over 60. More than fifty percent of people over sixty suffer from cataracts. One person described the problem he had as seeing halos around traffic lights and street-lights at night, making it difficult, even dangerous, to drive. Others describe their cataract-compromised vision as looking through a waterfall or a piece of wax paper.

Here again, medicine has come a long way. In the 'old days' virtually the only option was surgery to remove the clouded natural lenses and relegate the job that they used to do to a pair of glasses or contact lenses. Cataract surgery was considered risky and required a hospital stay. The glasses were thick and contact lenses aren’t easy to deal with when you are 70 or 80. Today, the situation is vastly different. Surgery may still be necessary, but it is now much less intrusive. In most cases the 'no stitch, no shot' procedure is appropriate. Only a local anesthetic, in the form of eyedrops, need be applied to the surface of the eye—no needles required! An incision of barely 1/8' usually requires no stitches and allows the removal of the clouded lens and implantation of a new substitute lens, called an intra-ocular lens, or IOL, right in the same space as the old one. The entire procedure is performed on an out-patient basis and usually takes less than twenty minutes.

After cataract surgery most patients report an improvement in their vision right away. They can return to regular activities, such as reading and driving, almost immediately. A survey conducted by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery found that 98% of cataract patients reported improved vision. Many found that their vision was even better than before they developed cataracts! Joe McKinney, whose business is repairing small engines, reports, 'I couldn’t work on engines without a magnifying glass.' After his cataract operation at the Eye Institute, with no pain involved, he could read a newspaper almost immediately. How do you decide whether or not to have cataract surgery? Common sense and your sense of well being should prevail. If you have symptoms and feel your quality of life would be improved, or that you can’t drive safely, see an ophthalmologist. Again, discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

With all of these amazing new advances, it seems reasonable to ask, what’s on the horizon? Dr. Kirby recently returned from a conference learning about a new IOL that can perform a function called, 'accommodation.' A healthy normal and natural lens can change its shape to 'accommodate' looking at objects near and far. That is, it changes the focus to keep images on the retina. Right now the IOLs used in cataract replacement, good as they are, can’t accommodate. If you are contemplating a cataract operation, it may be a good idea to investigate this new type of lens.

You can find more information at: www.crystalens.com/ also see www.nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/ cataract_facts.htm This site provides extensive information on cataracts from the National Institute of Health.

For general information on aging and eye problems see www.healthandage.com/html/min/nih/content/eyes.htm