Newsom Eye

A Look at Eye Disease: Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that affects how glucose (sugar) is transported into your body’s cells.  Insulin, the hormone that facilitates glucose entry into your cells, experiences either a dysfunction in its production or in its use, resulting in higher-than-normal levels of sugar in your blood.  Long-term high blood glucose levels can lead to irreversible damage to many of your body’s tissues, including your eyes.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when chronic high blood sugar damages the fragile blood vessels of the retina, or the light sensitive tissue at the back of your eye.  There are two stages of this disease:  Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy develops first and is usually asymptomatic, while the proliferative stage is more severe and causes blurred vision, floaters in the visual field, missing areas of vision, and eventual blindness. 

Effectively managing your blood glucose levels with help from your physician will decrease your likelihood of developing this disease.  Regular eye exams can also detect the presence of diabetic retinopathy in its nonproliferative stage, before it endangers your vision.  If you would like to learn more about this disease or schedule a consultation, contact Newsom Eye at (813) 908-2020.

What to Expect the Day of Your LASIK Surgery

If you are suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, your ophthalmologist may recommend LASIK to permanently resolve these refractive issues.  If you decide to undergo this procedure, you will be evaluated for your candidacy and made aware of the risks, benefits, and alternatives by your doctor.  

LASIK is an outpatient procedure—you are able to go home the same day as the surgery.  Be sure that you arrange transportation to and from the surgical center, as your vision may be blurry or hazy for up to a week after the procedure.  Your doctor may also ask you to stop using creams, lotions, makeup, and perfumes the day before your surgery, as these products may increase your risk of infection. 

Newsom Eye is unique in that it's laser suite is located within a AAAHC certified sterile surgery center. This is different from "strip mall" LASIK centers and takes the quality of your procedure to a new level.  You will be asked to lie on your back in an exam room containing the excimer laser system.  A numbing drop will be placed in your eye, after which your eye will be cleaned and held open using a lid speculum. Newsom Eye utilizes the laser keratome to create this flap, promoting faster and better healing. 

Once the flap in the cornea has been created, you will be asked to stare at a light to keep your eye fixed while the laser is used to reshape your cornea.  The pulse of the laser makes a low ‘ticking’ sound while it removes corneal tissue.  After the correct amount of tissue is removed, the flap is put back into place and a shield is placed over your eye to hold it.  No stitches are used, so this shield is essential in keeping that flap fixed as you are healing. The laser tracks your eye two hundred times a second so there is no worry about the patient affecting the outcome of the surgery by moving their eyes "incorrectly".

There are numerous questions that we are frequently asked here at Newsom Eye, and you can find more information about LASIK and answers to those questions on our website.  If you’d like to learn more about the LASIK procedure or would like to schedule a consultation, contact Newsom Eye at (813) 908-2020.  Our experienced specialists are dedicated to the safe and effective restoration of our patients’ visual acuity. 

Newsom Eye Hosts Seminar on Most Accurate Cataract Surgery

At Newsom Eye, we are always searching for new, innovative techniques and improvements to further the field of ophthalmology.  One such technique is called Most Accurate Cataract Surgery, or MACS for short.  In December, Newsom Eye held a seminar of 80 doctors about the surgical technique, and two of our own are featured on their website.  Here's what they had to say.

Our MACS cataract patients are tested pre-operatively and most qualify for a HDBlended Vision option. With the new, 0.25D SoftecHD lens, we can better predict and measure for a very precise placement and power selection on these patients. Our outcomes have validated this and our patients love their results. It is our fastest growing segment of choice for the cataract patients we serve.
- T. Hunter Newsom, MD

As a primary care physician, I know the value of 0.25D of refractive change. As a primary care physician working hand in hand with a MACS surgeon, I now see the difference this tight tolerance in implant power and higher level of measurements and testing can provide in vision benefits. Our MACS cataract patients just see better at a wider range of distances than previous traditional cataract surgery. The patients welcome this improvement at a cost-effective upgrade. It’s been wonderful.
-Eric Fazio, OD

For more information about MACS, or any other eye care need, contact Newsom Eye today at (813) 908-2020!

Tampa's First Laser Assisted Corneal Transplant

Newsom Eye Cornea and Refractive Surgeon, Brandon Rodriguez, MD, recently performed the first femtosecond laser assisted corneal transplant in the Tampa Bay area!  This revolutionary procedure is also called Intralase-Enabled Keratoplasty, and has been performed by only an elite group of surgeons, which Dr. Rodriguez has now joined.  We are very proud  to have Dr. Rodriguez as a member of our team, and look forward to continuing our mission of being the preeminent center for eye care in the Tampa and Central Florida area.  For more information, check out our release below, or give us a call at (813) 908-2020!

Beyond LASIK with STAAR Visian ICL, T. Hunter Newsom, MD

LASIK surgery is a great option for individuals suffering from certain refractive errors—unfortunately, the thickness of the corneal lens may impede certain candidates from undergoing the procedure.

In this video, Dr. Newsom walks us through an implantation of the Visian™ Internal Contact Lens. Internal contact lenses are a great option for individuals who are not candidates for LASIK surgery but are looking to rid themselves of prescription glasses or removable contact lenses. These internal contacts are placed over the natural lens of the eye in front of the iris, or the colored portion of the eye. Check out this full clip for more information.

Are you a candidate for Visian™ Internal Contact Lenses? Find out by contacting Tampa’s own Newsom Eye LASIK Center at (813) 908-2020.