Optometrists, Ophthalmologists & Eye Doctors serving Hispanic/Latino communities in Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, Greenwich & Stamford CT include eye exams, contact lenses, prescription glasses, glaucoma treatment (Glaucoma Laser Surgery), Lasik surgery & more.

Dr Bourke has extensive additional subspecialty training in all aspects of cataract, vitreoretinal, and macular surgery. He strives to deliver personalized care tailored to meet the specific needs of every patient.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is an eye condition that gradually destroys sharp central vision. Its cause lies in the breakdown of light-sensitive retinal cells in the macula, leading to distortion of straight lines and eventually leading to severe blindness in the United States. Early diagnosis can halt its progression; early signs can often go undetected during routine dilated eye exams.

Dry and wet ARMD are two forms of macular degeneration. Dry ARMD occurs when macular tissues thin over time, leading to protein clumps called drusen to form. While this condition may lead to blurry central vision, it typically is not as severe as wet ARMD which involves abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina that leak blood or fluid, leading to severe central vision loss over a short amount of time. Wet ARMD accounts for 90% of severe vision loss associated with macular degeneration.

Wet macular degeneration can be treated best through regular eye injections of medications called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitors such as Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea that block new abnormal blood vessels. Nearly 90% of patients suffering from wet macular degeneration can benefit from injections for stabilization of vision. At times, additional injections may be needed in order to keep leakage under control and stop further vision loss. Patients undergoing these treatments must continue to use an Amsler grid regularly and visit their physician if any distorted sections appear on the grid. While these treatments won’t restore vision that has already been lost, they should reduce the rate of central vision loss over time.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy affects people living with diabetes who have damaged blood vessels in the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive lining at the back of each eye that detects images and transmits them to the brain; elevated blood sugar levels damage these blood vessels that provide nourishment to the retina, leading to leakage of fluids, as well as scar tissue formation – leading to vision loss or blindness over time.

Diabetic retinopathy symptoms include blurry and distorted vision, floaters (dark spots or strings that seem to move across in front of one’s eyes), poor night vision, and gradual loss of vision. It is essential that diabetic patients regularly visit an eye doctor for comprehensive dilated eye exams to monitor these symptoms and ensure the best outcome possible.

Your eye doctor will use drops to dilate your pupils, providing a better view of what’s going on inside. They may also utilize special instruments, such as optical coherence tomography or fluorescein angiography, in order to see how diabetes has altered blood vessel structures within your retina.

If your macular edema is caused by leaky blood vessels, focal laser treatment may help seal them and improve vision. Usually done without pain at an eye doctor’s office, this procedure should restore vision over time to its former state.

As your disease advances, more abnormal blood vessels will form within your retina – this condition is known as proliferative retinopathy – which may leak into the vitreous humor (the clear fluid that fills up the center of your eye) and cause bleeding into your vitreous humor; eventually leading to detached retinas which must be addressed surgically using vitrectomy procedures.

Reducing your risk of blindness from diabetic retinopathy requires keeping blood glucose levels under control, eating healthily and exercising regularly while wearing sunglasses when outdoors. People living with diabetes should get regular eye examinations as prescribed by their eye doctor, following any recommended laser treatment plans and keeping up with scheduled eye exams or laser treatments as recommended. Furthermore, video magnifiers and screen reading software may assist them in maintaining independence.

Macular Hole

The retina is a thin layer of light sensitive tissue lining the back of our eyes, with its central portion known as the macula serving to enable fine details and color vision. When macular holes form they cause blurry or distorted central vision which surgery typically can treat; most patients do recover their central vision after surgery however some may remain blinded permanently.

Macular holes are caused by abnormal traction or pulling on the vitreous gel in the back two-thirds of your eye, usually as part of an ageing process and without symptoms; however, sometimes too hard or fast pulling occurs and leads to macular holes being created on both eyes of an older individual. Macular holes tend to affect those over 60 and can occur both eyes simultaneously.

Macular holes can worsen over time and lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated. It’s vital that those suffering from macular holes seek medical advice immediately – even small macular holes may require multiple injections to reduce swelling and encourage it to close on its own. In more serious cases, vitrectomy surgery may be required, where sticky vitreous gel and membranes holding open your macular hole are surgically removed before filling your eye with a bubble of gas that serves as a temporary band-aid until its closure occurs naturally.

After your procedure, it will be important to keep your head down for several days or weeks so that the gas can float against and seal the macular hole. On occasion, injection of Ocriplasmin could also help relieve tension that has contributed to its creation.

Retina Group of Las Vegas doctors possess vast experience treating macular degeneration with sutureless techniques using 25 gauge microsurgery instruments at an ambulatory surgery center; hospitalization is not necessary. Contact their office for more information regarding available treatments.

Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment is a medical emergency, and must be addressed as quickly as possible to avoid permanent loss of vision. The retina is a thin, transparent coating in the back of your eye that lies on top of vitreous humor (gel-like fluid in the center of the eye). With retinal detachment, however, this coating detaches from its connection with RPE — providing oxygen and nutrition to an outer part of neurosensory retina known as macula — as a result.

Rhegmatogenous detachment, the most prevalent form of retinal detachment, occurs when there is a hole or tear in the retina that allows fluid to seep through and collect underneath, isolating it from its blood supply and eventually detaching it completely from its host organ. This condition often develops with age but also as a result of certain diseases and conditions.

Detachments of the retina may occur for various reasons; these can include tractional, serous and exudative detachments. Tractional detachment results from scar tissue that pulls on the retina from its RPE layer; this condition typically appears among diabetics or those who have experienced prior retinal tears or surgery. Serous and exudative retinal detachments result from formation of fluid under the retina that causes separation; typically associated with inflammation or trauma-induce fluid formation that leads to greater rates of fluid formation underneath.

Retinal detachments often manifest themselves with floating dark spots (floaters) in your field of vision that move with eye movements. Sometimes this symptom may also include dark curtains or shadows appearing peripherally. Flashes of light may indicate progression; sudden loss of vision should also be treated immediately in order to avoid permanent blindness.

Retinal detachments can be treated using various surgical procedures, including: