Rush University Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology provides consulting, diagnostic and treatment services for all conditions affecting the eye. Services are provided in the highly modern Regenstein Eye Center. There, more than 20 general and subspecialist ophthalmologists who are members of the faculty of Rush Medical College provide comprehensive patient care, teaching for residents and medical students, and research on a wide range of ocular diseases. Corneal and vitreoretinal surgery are also strong clinical services at Rush. Both have the largest academic faculties in the Midwest.

A major focus of the patient care, education and research activities of the department involves refractive surgery, including laser vision correction. The excimer laser is used to treat refractive disorders (photorefractive keratectomy or PRK and LASIK), resurface the cornea (phototherapeutic keratectomy or PTK) and conduct research on future applications of the technology.

Patient Care Services include:

• Consultative Ophthalmology
• Cornea and External Diseases
• Glaucoma
• Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Ocular Oncology
• Oculoplastic Surgery
• Ophthalmic Pathology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Refractive Surgery
• Retina and Vitreous Disease
• Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation

About Presbyopia

A normal part of the aging process, presbyopia is a gradual loss of the eye's ability to adjust the focus. Presbyopia is due to the natural stiffening of the lens in the eye on near objects. This prevents the lens from changing focus so that one can clearly see both distance and near objects. Presbyopia usually begins to occur around the age of forty and it is commonly corrected by the use of reading glasses or bifocals. Patients with myopia or hyperopia should realize that even correcting myopia or hyperopia with Laser Vision Correction will not eliminate the potential need for reading glasses when reaching middle age. For those patients who absolutely do not wish to wear reading glasses as they get older, Lens Replacement Surgery, such as Crystalens Vision Correction, may be an option to discuss with the doctor at your Consultation.

For more information, contact:

Department of Ophthalmology
1725 West Harrison Street
Professional Building, Suite 906
Chicago, Illinois 60612
Phone: (312) 942-5370
http://www.rush.edu/patients/ophthalmology/index.html