Dr William Boothe Surgeon

Optometrist - (ahp-TAHM-uh-trist) A doctor of optometry (OD), which is not a medical degree. An optometrist diagnoses vision problems and eye diseases, and prescribes glasses, contact lenses, and drugs to treat disorders. They provide post-surgical care, but do not perform surgery. The education is at least three years and most optometrists have a B.A. or more. This is followed by four years at an optometry school, with an examination at the end. Some optometrists have further education and obtain M.A.s or Ph.D.s and can specialize in a variety of areas such as contact lenses, pediatric optometry, geriatric optometry and ocular disease.

Dr Boothe

Vision Therapy - A way of treating vision disorders usually prescribed and planned by an optometrist to improve weak visual skills. It is thought that there are twenty visual skills, such as accommodation, peripheral vision, spatial relations, visual memory and visualization. When one or more of these skills is weak or non-existent, many activities can be impaired, like sports, computer work, and reading. Vision therapy was practiced in Europe in the mid-1800s and began in the U.S. in 1928 by an optometrist. Other names for vision therapy are: eye exercises, visual training, and orthoptics.

Dr William Boothe

: Diabetic Retinopathy - (ret-in-AHP-uh-thee) Damage done to the small blood vessels that feed the retina. In the early stage it’s known as background diabetic retinopathy. The small arteries in the retina weaken and leak, which often causes swelling and impaired vision.

The later stage is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Since the arteries are not functioning well to bring oxygen to the eye’s cells, retinal cells become ischemic (lacking in oxygen). The eye develops new blood vessels (a response known as neovascularization) but these are weak and also start leaking, so the problem becomes worse.

Eventually, as the body continues to grow extra blood vessels, which continue to leak, scars can form, and the retina can detach from its membrane at the back of the eye, causing blindness.
Dr William Boothe Surgeon