AROUND-TOWN

Expert helps seniors preserve eyesight

Terry Reilly StarNews Correspondent
Dr. Matej Polomsky, an ophthalmologist and surgeon at Wilmington Eye, addressed one of the Tuesday Talks presented by Aging in Place Downtown. [TERRY REILLY/FOR THE STARNEWS]

This is a corrected version of this story.

WILMINGTON -- Enjoying 20/20 vision, Susan Silver felt no urgency to get an eye exam. She finally decided to get a checkup and her perfect vision was confirmed. But then Silver, director of Wilmington’s Aging in Place Downtown, learned that glaucoma’s early stages were lurking.

She had no symptoms or warning. Without treatment, going blind was inevitable. Fortunately, Silver began treatment to relieve pressure on her optic nerve, preventing future damage.

Silver shared her story at one of the organization's Tuesday Talks before introducing Dr. Matej Polomsky, an ophthalmologist and surgeon at Wilmington Eye. Polomsky reviewed the various afflictions that damage or totally destroy vision.

“You don’t know if you have these diseases, they’re asymptomatic,” he said, underscoring Silver’s message to get a regular exam.

Polomsky, a native of Slovakia, warned attendees that, “with age, vision decreases and eye pathologies increase.”

The most frequent sight threatening affliction is cataracts, a clouding of the lens inside the eye that starts developing after age 50. According to the National Eye Institute, 24 million Americans have cataracts, with two thirds of those 80 and older having the condition.

“Most people don’t know they have cataracts, it takes years to change. Early symptoms include experiencing nighttime glare, halos around stop lights and needing more light to read,” Polomsky said.

Fortunately, cataract surgery can replace the cloudy lens with an artificial lens. And there is a bonus available for those wearing glasses. “During the surgery we can change the shape of the cornea and improve distant and near vision. We can improve vision to 20/20 during this outpatient procedure,” Polomsky said.

A more severe eye problem is glaucoma. There is no cure for the condition and lost vision cannot be restored.

“Your peripheral vision goes first, and that’s why many people don’t notice they have glaucoma,” Polomsky said. “However, if we catch glaucoma at the periphery of your vision, we can preserve the rest of your vision.”

According to Polomsky eye drops is the most common treatment. There is a new option for patients who frequently forget to use eye drops. A laser procedure can reduce eye pressure for up to two years, eliminating the need for eye drops.

It’s been said that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” But for Polomsky, the eyes are a portal for detecting potential fatal diseases.

“During medical school I decided on my specialty. There was something about looking into an eye and being able to diagnose problems within the whole human body,” he said.

“Clues to serious problems include a ring around the cornea or yellow crust under the eyelid signaling high cholesterol and potential heart disease. An inverted eye lid margin could be a benign tendon problem or cancer. What appears to be a scab on the eyelid could be cancer. We’ll also find melanoma on the inside of the eyelid,” Polomsky said.

Regarding less serious eye maladies, Polomsky offered the following:

Dry eyes – “You can have excessive tearing but still have dry eyes. Tears just flow off the eye without sufficient oil. Prescription drops will reduce inflammation and allow tears and oil glands to function.”

Presbyopia (Why you need reading glasses) – “As you hit the 47 to 52 years of age, a protein in the eye becomes insoluble, preventing the eye tendons from moving the now hardened lens. Help is on the way. Eye drops are in FDA trials that can constrict the pupil and increase your depth of field.”

Floaters – “They happen to everyone, especially as you get older. If a floater affects quality of life and constantly blocks vision, retinal surgery may be a possibility.”

Vitamins – “Unless you have an identified eye problem like dry form macular degeneration, you’re wasting your money.”

When not working, Polomsky relaxes by playing in his '90s rock band, aptly named “Alternative Vision.”

For more information go to the National Eye Institute website, nei.nih.gov.

To learn more about the Tuesday Talks, visit www.AgingInPlaceDowntown.org

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