Category: Cornea

Why would vision be worse after cataract surgery? When performing cataract surgery ophthalmologists are careful to maintain the health of the cornea.  Since I am a corneal specialist, I pay particular attention to protecting the cornea. Cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgeries performed in the United States.  Some patients who have had… Read More

Corneal swelling is also called corneal edema, bullous keratopathy, or corneal decompensation.  The cornea is the clear dome on the front of the eye.  It contains water like a damp sponge.  When the cornea has too much water, it swells.  The swelling makes it difficult for light to pass through the cornea.  This causes blurred… Read More

Does using an eye patch help when the corneal epithelium is scratched? Some ophthalmologists say yes and others say no. Cochrane is an international group of researchers that review peer-reviewed evidence to make health care decisions better. I value the reviews published by Cochrane because of their comprehensive review methodology and their unbiased reporting of… Read More

If you live in Houston and are seeking a new eye doctor or surgeon, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of options out there. So, why choose Dr. Mark C. Vital to care for your vision? Here are quotes from several patients who chose Dr. Vital: “Our family is very grateful to Dr. Mark… Read More

Collagen crosslinking is a procedure that has been performed in other areas of the world for many years but was approved by the FDA in the United States in 2016. The procedure aims to stiffen and strengthen the cornea by using riboflavin and ultraviolet light. This has been shown to be useful in the treatment… Read More

Many think of dry eye as simply being caused by not having enough tears.  However, dry eye disease is generally much more complex than that.  It is important to remember that what you feel does not always match what we as eye doctors see on the eye’s surface.  For many patients, this can lead to confusion… Read More

Patients may be shy about it but often want to ask, “Dr. Vital, tell me about your qualifications and experience.” I completed 13 years of education beyond high school which included 4 years of college at Rice University in Houston, 4 years of medical school at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, 1 year of… Read More

When I go to the doctor, I also want to know, “What is the wait time?” I feel it is important that same day appointments are available for eye emergencies. We know that you did not plan to have an eye problem. We also understand how frightening and urgent a sudden eye problem can be…. Read More

The preferred type of corneal transplant for keratoconus and corneal scars is an anterior lamellar keratoplasty or ALK which is a partial thickness corneal transplant .  In this type of transplant only the part of the cornea with the problem (in this case, the front of the cornea) is replaced.  In the pictures below, two… Read More

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can be particularly devastating on the clarity of the cornea and on vision. It is well known that HSV keratitis can recur weeks, months, and even years after the first “acute” episode. Each recurrence of herpes comes with the added risk of new corneal scarring, worsening of vision, and the possible… Read More