Watson Clinic’s expert Ophthalmology department offers comprehensive eye care, from routine examinations to glaucoma treatments to laser surgery. An in-house eye wear store is available for your convenience.
Our ophthalmologists focus on the anatomy, functions and diseases of the eye. They treat a variety of eye disorders that may require surgery.
Cataracts are one of the most common of these disorders. Cataracts cause a clouding of our vision that often obscures our ability to see clearly when performing everyday activities, such as reading street signs, driving at night, playing golf or reading small print. Though they are common as we age, cataracts may also result from factors such as:
- Diabetes
- Smoking or
- Certain medications
Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure performed in the United States and boasts a remarkable 95% rate of effectiveness.
Our physicians are proud to offer minimally invasive cataract treatment that involves flexible foldable lens replacements that allow for smaller incisions, often without the need for stitches. This procedure doesn’t require general anesthesia and patients go home the same day. Some patients even experience a decreased need for glasses following the surgery.
Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects the optic nerve and retina, and can lead to blindness if left untreated. Risk factors for the disease include a family history, thin cornea, eye trauma, and extreme nearsightedness. Most patients with glaucoma also display an elevated pressure in their eye.
Another type of glaucoma is called narrow angle glaucoma. This occurs when the pressure in the eye reaches acutely high levels, and the patient could experience red eye, blurred vision, halos around lights, pain, headache, nausea or vomiting in the most extreme cases. Intermittent or low grade chronic narrow angle glaucoma is also common and may present without extreme pain, but only mild eye discomfort or mild vision blur. These are emergency situations and prompt evaluation and management by an ophthalmologist is essential.
Glaucoma is diagnosed with a series of simple, non-invasive tests that are standard in any routine eye examination.
- Pressure reading – Fluids must circulate within the eye to ensure proper function. High eye pressure can occur when drainage of this fluid from the eye is impeded. Your ophthalmologist utilizes specialized equipment to quickly and effectively monitor the pressure in your eyes.
- Visual field test – In glaucoma, a patient’s periphery is usually the first part of the field of vision to become impaired. In this test, a machine will flash lights in a patient’s periphery, and the patient will respond by pushing a button upon spotting each light.
- Optic nerve scanning – Computer optic nerve scanning is a state-of-the-art method of examining the optic nerve. The progression of the disease produces very subtle and slow changes in the shape of the optic nerve, which can be detected easily with new computerized technology.
Often times, there are no symptoms for glaucoma until the late stages of the disease. For this reason, it is crucial that you maintain a routine eye examination schedule to detect early warning signs of the disease. Once glaucoma is diagnosed, it is often treated with highly effective eye drops, and occasionally with laser or conventional surgery.
In addition to the treatment of cataracts and glaucoma, our ophthalmologists also offer diabetic eye care, corneal transplants,
LASIK and refractive eye surgery, contact lens fittings, artificial eye fitting and care, and a comprehensive series of eye exams for adults and children.
Musa H. Awan, MD
- Medical School: Tufts University Medical School, Boston, MA, MD
- Internship: University of Medicine and Dentistry, Cooper Hospital, Camden, NJ
- Residency: University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX
- Board-certified: Ophthalmology; Subspecialty: Cataract Surgery
- Member: American Board of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Florida Medical Association, Polk County Medical Association
Shawn Chhabra, MD
Dr. Chhabra's Brochure
- Medical School: Boston University, Boston, MA, MD
- Internship: Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, Internal Medicine
- Residency: Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
- Fellowship: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, FL
- Board-certified: Ophthalmology; Subspecialty: Corneal Transplants, LASIK Surgery
- Member: American Board of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Florida Medical Association, Florida Society of Ophthalmology, Polk County Medical Association, Tampa Bay Ophthalmology Society
Adam S. Gant, MD
- Medical School: University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, MD
- Internship: St. Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- Residency: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, Ophthalmology
- Board-certified: Ophthalmology; Subspecialty: Cataract Surgery
- Member: American Board of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons, Florida Medical Association, Polk County Medical Association, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center (LRH) Ophthalmology Service Chief 2011-2012
Richard R. Harvey, MD
Dr. Harvey's Brochure
- Medical School: University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, MD
- Internship: University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL, General Surgery
- Residency: Penn State Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, Ophthalmology
- Fellowship: Orkan Stasior, MD, Albany, NY, Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery
- Board-certified: Ophthalmology; Subspecialty: Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery
- Member: American Board of Ophthalmology, American Medical Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons