Cataracts
A cataract is a progressive cloudiness that develops inside the lens of the eye. As it develops eyesight becomes more and more blurry, colours lose their brightness and driving at night can become problematic.
Patients often complain of difficulties with recognising faces due to glare, as well as trouble driving at night with headlights appearing ‘star-like’ or glary, difficulty with following a golf ball due to glare or even colours no longer appearing as bright.
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Flashes and Floaters
What are flashes and floaters?
The retina is a thin layer of light sensing tissue that lines the inside of the eye – it is like the film in a camera, and allows you to see. Within the eye, the vitreous is a clear gel that fills the central part of the eyeball. It is in contact with the surface of the retina.
During development, the vitreous carries blood vessels that supply the anterior parts of the eye. Once these structures develop their own blood supply, the vessels in the vitreous disappear and it becomes clear. Retention of clarity is a primary function of the vitreous after birth, and it has no role in the maintenance of retinal attachment or eye pressure or shape.
The vitreous undergoes degenerative changes with age, and will eventually separate from the retina (‘posterior vitreous detachment’).
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Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball. If left untreated, it may cause loss of vision, even blindness. Glaucoma generally affects both eyes, although one may have more severe symptoms than the other.
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Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration comprises a group of degenerative diseases of the retina that cause progressive, painless loss of central vision, affecting the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and even recognise faces.
Macular degeneration usually affects people over the age of 50 and becomes more common with increasing age. About 1 in every 10 Australians over the age of 50 have MD and up to 30% of people more than 80 are affected.
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Retinal Detachment
A retinal detachment occurs when the retina comes away from its normal position at the back of the eye.
Retinal detachment is a reasonably common, and treatable, cause of visual loss that affects almost 1% of the population. It must be considered when there is the sudden onset of flashes, floaters, a shadow in the peripheral field of vision, or visual loss.
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Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a common, chronic and annoying problem for many patients, who experience long term, intermittent irritation, 
and discharge with crusting from their eyelids.
While rosacea is often associated with this disorder, the management for most patients will revolve around the patient looking after his or her own lid problems by simple physical means with occasional ophthalmological review.
One of the main problems in blepharitis is that the lid secretions are more viscous than normal, and drainage from the tarsal glands in the lids is diminished or poor.
The aim, therefore, is to improve drainage from these glands in the upper and lower lids.
If you require assistance with treating your condition please contact us to arrange an appointment. 9411 5000
Corneal Diseases
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If you require assistance with treating your condition please contact us to arrange an appointment. 9411 5000
Diplopia – Double Vision
Double vision is always a concern until it has been shown that it is benign and may have a naturally resolving course. Patients experiencing new diplopia vision should be seen within 24 hours. If they have associated neurological symptoms such as headache, they should be seen within the hour.
Diplopia can be divided into monocular (one-eyed) Diplopia, such as occurs with cataracts, or disorders of the macula or cornea. Binocular diplopia, where the two eyes are misaligned either horizontally or vertically, means that the patient sees two objects while just looking at one.
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Visual Failure and Visual Fields
Visual failure is what Ophthalmology is mostly about. It can be related to the eyes or to the brain.
If the vision loss is related to the eyes, then this can reflect the presents of cataracts, corneal disease such as keratoconus (conical cornea), progressive macular degeneration, blocked retinal arteries or veins, or sometimes glaucoma.
If it is related to the brain, lesions in the anterior visual pathway can cause visual failure. These may be orbital tumours or inflammation, optic nerve lesions, or the tumours involving the chiasm including pituitary tumours or nearby tumours such as meningiomas or lymphomas.
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Pterygium
A pterygium is a pink, fleshy tissue which grows over the conjunctiva and edge of the cornea. The major reasons for undertaking pterygium surgery include:
- Persistent irritation
- redness
- Reduced or threatened vision
- Increasing size
Surgery involves not only excising the growth, but also transplanting a piece conjunctival tissue (loose tissue covering the eye) to cover the site where the pterygium has been removed. This conjunctival transplant helps to improve recovery, but more importantly it will reduce the chance of recurrence.
Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes changes involve many parts of the body, including the eye. The most important effect of diabetes on the eye is on blood vessels in the retina, which is known as “diabetic retinopathy”. Diabetic retinopathy is the most important cause of blindness in working age Australians.
Regular eye checks are vital and should start as soon as diabetes is diagnosed.
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Ocular Melanoma
Ocular melanoma (melanoma in or around the eye) is a type of cancer that develops in the cells that 
produce pigment. Pigment is the substance that gives your skin, hair and eyes color. Just as you can develop melanoma on your skin, you can also develop it in your eye. Although it is the most common eye cancer in adults, ocular melanoma is very rare.
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Blepharoplasty
The region around our eyes is perhaps the most visually significant part of the face. This intensely expressive area is central to projecting our mood and when we make eye contact it is the first area that we notice.
Age-related changes affect the eyelids and the surrounding region, altering our appearance and sometimes how people perceive our mood. Redundant skin of the upper lids can also interfere with one’s vision.
During blepharoplasty or lid reduction surgery a variable amount of skin, muscle and orbital fat is sculpted to alter the contour and shape of the eyelids.
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Ectropion
Ectropion describes the turning out of the eyelid so that the inner surface (“conjunctiva”) of the eyelid is exposed to the air. This affects the lower eyelid much more commonly than the upper lid.
The most common group of people who get ectropion are the elderly with loosening of the eyelid. It can also happen in patients who have nerve damage to the muscles of the eyelid, or it can be caused by changes in the skin, either from skin cancers or inflammation and scarring. In Australia tightening of the skin caused by years of sun exposure is a very common cause of ectropion.
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Entropion
Entropion describes the turning in of the eyelid causing the skin and lashes to rub against the surface of the eye. Often this condition is misdiagnosed as being just the lashes turning in, however even if the lashes are then removed the eye discomfort does not fully resolve as the skin of the in-turned eyelid will rub and irritate the eyeball.
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Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery is a highly specialised treatment for the removal of skin cancers in which a microscope is used to determine the extent and depth of the skin cancer. The removal of the skin cancer is performed by a dermatologist with specific training in this technique. Once the skin cancer is removed, the area is repaired by the oculoplastic surgeon. Dr Wilcsek and Dr Catriona Downie have specialised training in this technique.