During the corneal transplant surgery, Dr. Farhat will remove an eight-millimeter central portion of the cloudy or damaged cornea and replace it with a new, clear one. Your new cornea will often come from an eye bank after being screened for suitability and infectious diseases.
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve — the part of the eye that carries the images we see to the brain. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers, like an electric cable containing numerous wires. When damage to the optic nerve fibers occurs, blind spots develop. These blind spots usually go undetected until the optic nerve is significantly damaged. If the entire nerve is destroyed, blindness results.
Ophthalmology
Our core foundation is built upon one ultimate principle: we treat each patient with respect. Our doctors are all certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a deterioration or breakdown of the macula. The macula is a small area in the retina at the back of the eye that allows you to see fine details clearly and perform activities such as reading and driving. When the macular does not function correctly, your central vision can be affected by blurriness, dark areas or distortion. Macular degeneration affects your ability to see near and far, and can make some activities — like threading a needle or reading — difficult or impossible.
Laser Eye Surgery
We do our very best to make eye surgery a pleasant and comfortable experience for every patient. We feel our surgery center provides just that.
Cataracts
Cataracts are the clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens, preventing the passage of light needed for vision.
Cataract Surgery
Here we perform cataract surgery, diagnostic testing, laser procedures and yags in our pleasant, comfortable and fully equipped facility.
Eye Exam
Whether it’s laser surgery or a medical eye exam, you can count on Heartland Eye Care to provide you with the best possible care available.
Following internship in Internal Medicine at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Vande Garde completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Eye Foundation Hospital. In addition he completed a year-long fellowship specializing in refractive surgery, and participated in numerous FDA studies involving new technology and devices.
If you have diabetes mellitus, your body does not use and store sugar properly. High blood-sugar levels can damage blood vessels in the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses light and helps to send images to the brain. The damage to retinal vessels is referred to as diabetic retinopathy.