Dry ARMD is the most common form of ARMD.  With age, there is a slowdown in the transportation of waste from the retina.  As a result, waste builds up under the retina and forms yellow deposits known as drusen. Dry ARMD generally progresses slows and rarely leads to severe vision loss. 

Ear Surgery helps set prominent ears closer to the head or reduces the size of larger ears. The procedure is generally performed on an out-patient basis. Potential complications include bleeding, infection, scarring, mismatched or artificial-looking ears, or recurrence of the protrusion which would require follow-up surgry. Patients generally return to work within a week and to strenuous activies within a two weeks. Results are perm ...

An EEG provides a record of the electrical activity going on in the brain. A technician connects an EEG machine to specific parts of a patient's head using wires and electrodes. The electrodes pick up signals from the different parts of the brain and chart those signals as waves that change depending on activity. Epilepsy often produces abnormal brain waves not only during seizures, but also at other times. Physicians in The Epilep ...

An epiretinal membrane is a collection of cells that form into scar tissue on the inner surface of the retina.  This scar tissue can cause wrinkles or swelling in the retina that can cause your vision to become blurry or distorted.

Eyelid Surgery corrects drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess skin, fat and muscle. The procedure is generally performed on an out-patient basis.  An incision is made just under the eyelid, the fat and excess skin are removed, and the two areas are sewn together with very small stitches. Potential complications include bleeding, infection, swelling at the corners of the eyes, development of dry ...

Face Lift improves sagging facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin by removing excess fat, tightening muscles and redraping skin. The procedure is usually performed under 'twilight' anesthesia on an out-patient basis, but some patients may require brief hospital stays. Patients may experience temporary bruising, swelling, numbness and skin dryness or tenderness. Men may need to pursue laser hair removal where the beard is reposition ...

Facial Liposuction improves the contours of the face by removing resistant fat deposits. It is generally performed as an out-patient procedure and can be performed with techniques which infuse targeted fat cells with saline solution to reduce post-operative brusing and swelling. Commonly targeted areas include the chin, cheeks, neck and jowls. Side-effects include temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, soreness or fluid drainage. P ...

Low arches can lead to arch and heel pain, development of bunions, hammertoes, fatigue with activity.

Fillers plump skin on the face or hands which has lost volume to the aging process. Filler materials range from body fat and collagen to natural acids to synthetic materials and are generally offered on an outpatient basis under local anethesia.

Fat Injections offer a short term solution for people who want to plump cheeks and lips, or to fill lines and wrin ...

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control passage of bowel movements. While it can affect men and women of all ages, it is more common in women. Causes of fecal incontinence include constipation, damage to the ring of muscles that keep the anus closed, and loss of storage capacity in the rectum, diarrhea, and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Floaters are tiny clumps of gel or cells in the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the back chamber in your eye.  The technical name for these flashing lights is “photopsia”. The new onset of floaters, particularly if accompanied by flashes, is a symptom which requires evaluation. New floaters or an increase in existing floaters may occur with shrinking of the vitreous gel away from the retina (called ...

After identifying the portion of the brain where seizures originate, surgeons can specifically target and remove problem areas. The procedure is most often performed on the temporal lobe, but can also occur in other parts of the brain. Your physician will recommend a thorough set of tests to determine the location of the seizure focus and confirm that the surgery will not risk the loss of any important functions such as speech or m ...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most prevalent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; prompting more than 1.8 million outpatient clinic visits per year.  Approximately 44% of Americans report GERD at least once a month.  The Center for Digestive Disorders at The GW Medical Faculty Associates offers comprehensive management of GERD, including the latest technology in diagnosis and therapy.

This is a progressive change in the position of the toes. As the toes become more bent and rigid they can press against the top of a shoe or other toes leading to painful corns.

Irritation of the ligament situated along the bottom of the foot and attaching to the heel. This is often most painful with the first steps after rest.

Certain medications (Hydroxychloroquine/Chloroquine, Ethambutol, Thioridazine, Deferoxamine, Interferon) used to treat systemic disease can damage central or color vision and patients on these medications should be screened through a complete ophthalmologic examination and in some cases, visual field and electrophysiologic testing, at an interval determined based on drug dose, potential duration, and other patient-specific factors. ...

The HIV infection can cause damage to many parts of the eye, including the retina. Retinal changes typically are related to the CD4 count and viral load. The lower the the CD4 count and the higher the viral load, the more likely retinal damage may occur. Patients with HIV are at a higher risk of acquiring opportunistic infections. The infectious organisms can also affect the retina. All patients with HIV should have an annual dilat ...

Hypertensive retinopathy is damage to the retina from high blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the retina, these changes range from mild to severe. The higher the blood pressure and the longer it has been high, the more severe the damage is likely to be. The damage can have detrimental effects on the vision. When you have diabetes, high cholesterol levels, or you smoke, you have a higher risk of damage a ...

An excessively curved nail which causes pain by growing into the skin.

A doctor might choose a ketogenic diet for patients who respond poorly to medication. On the diet, patients eat foods rich in fats and oils, but low in proteins and carbohydrates. This creates a condition called ketosis in the body, which can help control seizures. However, achieving this reduction requires strict compliance with the diet.

Microflap excision of polyps, cysts, Reinke's edema; medialization laryngoplasty (thyroplasty and arytenoid adduction); vocal fold injection augmentation; endoscopic and open removal of laryngeal carcinoma with reconstruction.

A usually asymptomatic condition present in up to 10% of the general population, lattice degeneration represents an area of retinal thinning with overlying vitreous (liquid jelly filling ~80% of the eyeball) which confers a higher risk of developing retinal holes, tears and detachments.  Complete ophthalmic examination is required in patients with lattice degeneration to surveil for retinal sequelae.

Lower Body Liposuction improves body contours by liquifying and vacuuming away fatty deposits. Commonly targeted areas include the buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves and ankles. The procedure is generally performed on an out-patient basis, but more extensive approach may require brief hospital stays. Patients may experience temporary bruising, swelling, drainage, numbness, soreness or a burning sensation. Potential complications ...

Claudication is pain felt in the legs during walking.  The symptoms typically begin when you start to exercise and go away a short time after you rest.  Rest pain is pain without walking that usually occurs first at night and affects sleep. Non-healing wounds are sores or ulcers on the legs that will not heal due to lack of circulation. Without proper treatment, rest pain ...

Lymphedema is a common cause of leg and arm swelling and is due to the collection of too much lymph fluid.  The most common damage impacts the delicate vessels that hold the lymph fluid, called lymphatics.   When the lymphatic system is damaged, lymph fluid accumulates in the tissues of the arm or leg and causes swelling.

Common causes of ly ...

The Macula, located in the center of the retina, is the part of the retina is responsible for the clarity of vision.  A macular hole is a small, round opening in the center of the macula.

An MRI makes detailed pictures of the brain by using a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy. It can detect abnormal blood vessels, tumors, scar tissue, and other lesions that may be responsible for producing seizures.

Male Breast Reduction reduces enlarged breasts in men using liposuction and/or removing excess glandular tissue. The procedure is generally performed on an out-patient basis. Patients may experience temporary soreness, swelling, bruising or a burning sensation. Potential complications include infection, bleeding, fluid retention, injury to the skin, rippling or bagginess of the skin, asymmetry, skin discoloration, excessive scarring ...

Medication can be used to control seizures and may even keep patients seizure free for long periods of time. There are more than 20 different medications available to treat epilepsy. Some can interact with other medications or have an effect on mood or body weight. These effects could be either unwanted or desirable depending on the situation. For example, some medications will treat other illnesses such as headaches, in addition t ...

The mesenteric arteries supply blood to your large and small intestines. Ischemia occurs when your blood cannot flow through your arteries and your intestines do not receive the necessary oxygen.  This can be a life-threatening condition and may require prompt treatment. The GW MFA’s vascular surgeons are experts in identifying and treating mesenteric ischemia.

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