Erie Retinal Surgery has been helping people deal with vision problems since 1984.

The four ophthalmologists are focused on the critically important retina in the back of the eye.

Dr. David Almeida said, "It is only about a millimeter or so long. It is in the back part of the eye or the front part of the brain. It contains the photo receptors that connect to your brain and are involved in the process of turning light into vision."

Many of the patients seen at the downtown Erie office are older, the most common problems are macular degeneration or diabetic eye disease. But retinal issues can also impact young people.

Dr. Almeida said, "Retinal detachments and lasers to treat tears for people in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. We will be treating all the time."

The doctors use lasers to seal off bleeding or leaking blood vessels in the retina. They also use injections of medications to treat a variety of conditions. And treatments have advanced a great deal in recent years.

Dr. Almeida said, "It has been a dramatic 180 in the amount of therapeutics that we use to keep people seeing."

The office is very busy, seeing an average of about 120 patients a day. And because retinal problems can threaten vision, most patients have to been seen pretty fast.