Dr Zack Oakey, MD

Dr Zack Oakey, MD Dedicated to advanced surgical and medical treatments and public education.

Board-certified retina specialist and ocular oncologist specializing in retinal diseases, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, and ocular tumors.

Imagine the inside of your eye is lined with a delicate, light-sensitive layer called the retina, which works like the f...
06/18/2026

Imagine the inside of your eye is lined with a delicate, light-sensitive layer called the retina, which works like the film in a camera to capture the images you see. A retinal detachment happens when this thin layer peels away from the back wall of the eye, cutting off its vital blood and oxygen supply. If it isn’t put back in place quickly, it can cause permanent vision loss. People often notice a sudden shower of floating spots, flashes of light, or a dark shadow like a curtain pulling across their vision. To fix it, eye surgeons must physically press the retina back into place and seal it down using tools like tiny freezing probes, lasers, or an injected gas bubble that acts like a temporary piece of tape while the eye heals.

A surgery called a vitrectomy can be performed. The surgeon makes microscopic openings in the side of the eye to remove the clear, jelly-like fluid that fills the eyeball, which relieves the tugging forces pulling the retina out of place. Once the space is clear, the surgeon uses a laser to seal any tears and fills the eye with a temporary gas bubble or oil to hold the retina firmly against the back wall. If gas is used, your body naturally absorbs it and replaces it with its own fluids over several weeks, though you may need to keep your head in a specific position to ensure the bubble stays pressed against the right spot during recovery.

06/18/2026

And now for the final part to our series on light therapy for macular degeneration

Choroidal melanoma is a rare but serious eye cancer that develops in the pigment-producing cells of the choroid, the vas...
06/17/2026

Choroidal melanoma is a rare but serious eye cancer that develops in the pigment-producing cells of the choroid, the vascular tissue layer sandwiched between the white of the eye and the retina. Because these tumors grow silently inside the back of the eye, they rarely cause pain or early warning signs and are most frequently discovered during routine, comprehensive eye exams. When symptoms do develop, they depend heavily on the tumor’s size and position, typically causing blurred vision, sudden flashes of light, new floaters, or a gradual loss of peripheral vision.

To diagnose this condition, an eye specialist dilates the pupil and uses a bright light to examine the back of the eye. If a suspicious spot is found, specialized eye ultrasounds are used to confirm the diagnosis by measuring the tumor’s exact shape and internal traits, separating it from a benign eye freckle. Management strategies focus on destroying the cancer while preserving as much vision as possible. For small- to medium-sized tumors, the standard treatment is plaque brachytherapy, which involves temporarily stitching a tiny, custom gold disc with radioactive seeds to the wall of the eye for a few days to target the cells. While advanced high-precision radiation or surgical removal are options, very large or painful tumors may still require surgical removal of the eye. Because this cancer can potentially spread to other organs—most commonly the liver—long-term management always includes routine abdominal scans and medical monitoring.

06/17/2026

How do we prevent retinal detachment?

06/17/2026

And now for part 10 of light therapy for macular degeneration

06/16/2026

Let’s talk about an implant that can be used for wet macular degeneration

06/16/2026

What is recovery like after retinal detachment surgery?

06/16/2026

How long does it take to finally declare that the retina is fully healed? Are there vitamins to help?

06/16/2026

Now for part 9 of our little series on light therapy for macular degeneration

06/16/2026

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) is an acute, ophthalmologic emergency characterized by a sudden, painless, and typically severe loss of monocular vision. It is often referred to as an "eye stroke.“ It occurs when the main artery supplying blood to the inner retina becomes obstructed, leading to profound loss of blood flow leading to whitening of the retina and the classic clinical appearance of a "cherry-red spot" at the fovea. The primary cause of a CRAO is thromboembolic disease, most commonly arising from carotid artery atherosclerosis, cardiac valvular disease, or aortic arch plaques. Less frequently, it can be triggered by vasculitis like Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) or hematologic conditions that cause hypercoagulability. Because the central retinal artery shares a common vascular origin with the brain via the ophthalmic and internal carotid arteries, a CRAO serves as a critical warning sign for imminent stroke or heart attack, demanding an immediate workup.

The primary long-term complications of a CRAO include permanent, severe vision loss due to irreversible inner retinal damage, as well as neovascularization. Neovascularization of the iris, angle, or disc can develop weeks to months following the ischemic event, potentially leading to devastating aggressive forms of glaucoma. Management strategies historically focus on acutely restoring retinal blood flow, though their efficacy remains limited. Standard conservative treatments include digital ocular massage to dislodge the clot, anterior chamber paracentesis to acutely drop intraocular pressure, and medical therapies like topical pressure-lowering drops or systemic acetazolamide. In some some cases advanced interventions such as intra-arterial or intravenous thrombolysis (tissue plasminogen activator) are utilized to dissolve the clot. Ultimately, long-term management relies heavily on managing systemic cardiovascular risk factors to prevent subsequent vascular events.

Address

114 Pacifica Suite 390
Irvine, CA
92618

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8am - 5:30pm
Friday 8am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+19498680144

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