Blog

Glaucoma is very common. Official estimates indicate that about 3 million Americans have glaucoma. This very serious eye disease is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.

In people with glaucoma, the pressure inside the eye goes up. This causes damage to the optic nerve, which is the structure that carries information from the eye to the brain. If glaucoma is caught early and treated, the loss of vision can often be...Read More

As people get older, they may become less willing to tolerate small annoyances that have plagued them for years. For some people, wearing glasses or contacts is one of those annoyances. Many people in their middle aged or older years would like to finally be free of the hassle of using corrective lenses.

Laser eye surgery (such as LASIK or ASA) can offer a way to get rid of the need for corrective lenses. However, middle aged...Read More

Here at North County Laser Eye Associates, we’re always looking for ways to use the latest technology to offer you the best possible experience for your eye care. We’re excited about a new development in the field, called the Topcon Chronos system. This device helps to make the process of getting an eye exam quicker and more efficient, and to ensure the best possible outcomes.

What is the...Read More

Cataracts are extremely common, and almost everyone will eventually develop them over the course of life. A cataract occurs because of changes in the lens of the eye. Located just behind the pupil, this clear structure acts to focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye, so that objects can be seen clearly. A cataract occurs when the lens becomes cloudy, blocking the passage of light.

Fortunately, we don’t have to simply accept the...Read More

Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is caused by an irregularity in the shape of the eyeball. The eyeball is elongated in a front-to-back direction. This causes light to be focused slightly in front of the retina, instead of directly on it. For people with myopia, objects up close can be seen clearly, but objects farther away will appear blurry.

For kids who have myopia, the condition generally gets...Read More

The eye’s natural lens is able to change shape in order to change focal distance, which allows you to go from looking at the horizon to looking at a book relatively quickly. However, the natural lens can become cloudy over time, as part of the aging process. This is known as a cataract. During cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced an artificial one, which is called an...Read More

During cataract surgery, the eye’s damaged lens is removed and is replaced with an artificial lens. This is called an intraocular lens, or IOL. With basic IOLs (also known as monofocal IOLs), the patient will be able to see well at distance after surgery, but will still need reading glasses for good near vision. Although some patients are happy with this, others would like to be free of reading glasses after their surgery.

Here...Read More

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness. In people with this condition, aging causes damage to the macula, which is the area of the retina responsible for your central vision. This area is the only part of the retina that is capable of seeing details well, and allows you to read, recognize faces, and do other similar activities. When the macula degenerates, these activities become more difficult....Read More

As people age, the skin loses elasticity. This happens because a protein called collagen breaks down in the skin. The body does make some extra collagen, but it’s not enough to replace what’s being lost. Over time, there is less and less collagen in the skin. Because the skin’s structure is maintained by collagen, having less of it means that the skin has much less structural support, and it begins to droop or sag. This...Read More

Cataracts are extremely common, affecting half of all American adults by the age of 75. The only way to treat a cataract is through cataract surgery. More than 2 million such surgeries are performed each year.

Here in our office, Dr. Chen performs most cataract surgery procedures using an advanced technique called phacoemulsification (often referred to simply as “phaco”). This technique uses sound waves to make...Read More