Diseases

Dr. Scott specializes in treating diseases of the retina and macula. Below are helpful definitions of the diseases and how they affect the parts of the eye and your vision.


Diabetic Retinopathy – Damage to the blood vessels in the eye’s retina (the light-sensitive lining of the back of the eye) caused by complications of long-term diabetes.  Blood vessels may swell and leak, or abnormal blood vessels may appear.  Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.


Macular Degeneration – Deterioration of the macula which is the small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for central vision and the ability to see fine details.  Macular Degeneration is most common in seniors and may be referred to as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD).

Individuals with macular degeneration have gray, hazy or blocked vision in the center of their eye, while their peripheral (side vision) remains unaffected. Macular degeneration can effect both eyes.


Vascular Diseases of the Retina – The retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye.  Vascular diseases of the retina, also known as retinal vascular diseases, refers to a variety of conditions that negatively affect the blood vessels and circulation of the retina resulting in changes in the retinal tissue and causing vision loss.


Epiretinal Membrane –  A thin layer of scar tissue that grows over the macula (the small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for central vision and the ability to see fine details).  It’s also called macular pucker.  If the scar tissue starts to wrinkle or pucker, it can cause blurred and distorted central vision.


Macular Holes –  A hole or defect may develop in the center of the macula resulting in the blurred /distorted vision or a blind spot. Currently the only know way to repair a macular hole is by surgically closing it.


Retinal Tears and Detachments – Tears in the retina (the light-sensitive lining of the back of the eye) are caused by shrinkage of the vitreous gel which is the thick jelly-like substance in the middle of the eye that keeps the eyeball round.  In some cases the gel sticks tightly to the retina and as it pulls away through shrinkage, causes a tear in the retina.

Retinal tears may progress into retinal detachments if not treated promptly. A retinal detachment is where the retina separates form the back of the eye which can cause permanent loss of vision.

Retinal tears can be treated with a laser in the office while the retinal detachments frequently have to be repaired in the operating room.


Uveitis – An inflammation of the eye that can cause pain, light sensitivity, etc.


Macular Edema – The swelling or thickening of the macula which is the small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for central vision and the ability to see fine details.  It’s caused by leaking blood vessels in the retina, and is the most common cause of vision loss for people with diabetes, particularly if left untreated.


Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) – A common vascular disorder of the retina (the light-sensitive lining of the back of the eye) and one of the most common causes of blindness.

An RVO occurs when one of the small veins in the retina becomes blocked and can’t drain blood from the retina normally.  This blockage leads to blood and fluid backing up into the retina, causing sudden blurring or vision loss.


Plaquenil Screening – Also known as Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy, is damage to the macular (the small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for detailed, central vision) caused by a rare side effect of the prescription drug Plaquenil which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and autoimmune disease.

Accumulation of this drug in the eye can result in deposits that lead to blurred vision and blindness.