UT Medical Group, Inc.

The eyes are our windows to the world. When they are impaired by disease or injury, our connection to the world is deeply affected. The UT Hamilton Eye Institute continually advances the frontier of ophthalmic medicine to make a positive difference in people's lives.

From preventive vision care to advanced treatment of complex eye disease or trauma, the UTMG ophthalmology specialty clinics feature some of the most sophisticated eye examination equipment in the region. This state-of-the-art technology enables our skilled personnel to provide the most thorough examination possible, resulting in an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Our facilities have everything needed to take care of even the most complicated cases. The efficient, thorough, and highly trained medical staff at our clinics will always take the extra time to answer your questions and listen to your concerns.

Links:

Oculoplastic and Ophthalmic Oncology

Low Vision Center

Common causes of vision loss and blindness:

Diabetic retinopathy:   Retinal changes caused by diabetes. Blood vessels grow abnormally or hemorrhage, ultimately leading to blindness if untreated.

• Symptoms: No noticeable symptoms until damage has occurred. Blurred or distorted vision, floaters or shadows in vision, eye pain, blindness.

Age-related Macular degeneration (AMD): Deterioration of the macula, the center spot at the back of your eye that determines the sharpness of your central vision.

• Symptoms: Blurred or decreased central vision, blind spots, straight lines look wavy.

Glaucoma:   Loss of vision due to optic nerve damage, usually connected to high pressure in the eye.

• Symptoms: (develops slowly, sometimes lost vision is not noticed early on) later symptoms includes tunnel vision, losing the ability to see objects to the side or corner of your eye

Cataracts:  Clouding of the lens of the eye, usually related to aging.

• Symptoms: Cloudy/blurry vision, faded colors, glare (lights appear too bright, halo around lights), poor night vision, double vision, frequent prescription changes in glasses/contacts

Strabismus:   Also known as crossed eyes or lazy eye. If strabismus is developed in infancy, it can cause amblyopia, a condition in which the brain ignores the "lazy" eye, causing vision loss or blindness in that eye.

• Symptoms: Eyes do not look in the same direction at all times, eyes do not move together, blurred/double vision, light sentitivity, tired eyes

It is important to get an eye exam every year.

More than just a vision test, an annual eye exam checks the health of every part your eyes, inside and out. Some serious eye conditions such as glaucoma do not have noticeable symptoms until permanent damage has already occurred. Such vision loss can be prevented by early detection.

Appointments & Clinics

Memphis Medical Center
Hamilton Eye Institute
930 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
heiacademic@uthsc.edu