Eye Diseases in Franklin, TN

When people think of eye disease, they are often generalizing to cover a wide range of common eye diseases, infections, and disorders. At Family Vision Care, we aim to help you understand the different eye diseases, how they impact you, and how you can manage them. Some of the most common issues we see at our Franklin, TN office include macular degeneration, eye allergies, and diabetic retinopathy. Our optometrists, Dr. Daxx Dunn, Dr. Marla Weldon, and Dr. Kelly Short, and our team are here to help you understand and treat eye diseases. It's our goal to help you understand your eye condition so you can have the knowledge you need to make an informed treatment decision.

When you visit our Franklin, TN office, you can rest assured that our team can help you diagnose and understand your eye condition, as we have experience treating a wide range of diseases, infections, and disorders. Many of our Nashville, Nolensville, and Spring Hill, TN patients experience one of two (or both) of the conditions to the eyes:

• Macular degeneration: This disease impacts many individuals aged 50 and older. With this condition, the macula gets damaged, causing partial or total loss of vision. This is a progressive disease, meaning early diagnosis is possible and important. While it is not curable, there are ways we can treat your condition to reduce symptoms and try to prevent loss of eyesight, such as supplements, vision aids, or laser treatments.
• Eye allergies: Many children and adults suffer from allergies that can lead to red, watery, and swollen eyes. Whether your symptoms range from mild to severe, there are a number of ways to treat these allergy symptoms, including identifying and limiting exposure to the allergen or utilizing prescription-strength eye drops.

Whether you're experiencing symptoms from macular degeneration or eye allergies, our team at Family Vision Care of Cool Springs can help you diagnose and treat your eyes so you can have better vision and feel comfortable.

There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet. The dry type is the most common, but dry macular degeneration can lead to the wet variety. Dry macular degeneration is the growth of tiny clumps of protein within the macula that can block, blur, or distort vision. Wet macular degeneration is the result of abnormal blood vessels that grow underneath the retina and then leak blood or fluid. Symptoms of both dry and wet macular degeneration include:

• Visual distortions
• Reduced central vision in one or both eyes
• Needing light when reading viewing things close-up
• Difficulty adapting to low light levels
• Increased blurriness of printed words
• Decreased intensity or brightness of colors
• Problems recognizing faces
• A definitive blurry or blind spot in your vision

Scientists have not been able to determine the exact cause of either type of macular degeneration; however, there are some associated risk factors. The most prevalent risk factors that have been linked to the disease are genetics, smoking, and being over the age of 60. Other associated traits and conditions include fair skin and light eyes, obesity, being female, and having high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Macular degeneration can be diagnosed in a simple, in-office procedure. Dr. Dunn will dilate your pupils and then examine the back of your eyes with a special tool, looking for any abnormal deposits that may be due to macular degneration. He will consider your past medical history as well as your symptoms to accurately diagnose and help treat you.

Though eye allergies are usually not concerning, their symptoms sometimes mimic other types of conditions. Dr. Dunn will need to perform a complete eye evaluation to rule out anything more concerning before diagnosing you with allergies. He will also review any past conditions, along with your current symptoms, in order to determine whether a more concerning condition might be occurring. In some cases, Dr. Dunn may recommend an allergist so that they can figure out the exact triggers that could be causing your symptoms.

What are the most common eye diseases?

• Macular degeneration
• Eye allergies
• Cataracts
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Dry Eye Syndrome

Can eye diseases be cured?

Most eye diseases can only be managed, not cured. That's why at Family Vision Care, we stress the importance of regular eye exams for early diagnosis and treatment for better eye health outcomes.

Can you go blind from an eye disease?

Yes, you can. If left untreated, some eye diseases like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can lead to blindness.

Our eyes are vitally important. So if something goes wrong with them, it's important to seek out help as soon as possible. Our optometrists at Family Vision Care are experienced and qualified to diagnose and treat a wide range of eye diseases, like glaucoma, macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, and diabetic retinopathy. For more information or to schedule an exam, contact us at our Franklin, TN office.