W. John W. Murrell M.D. is a board certified ophthalmologist in Amarillo, TX specializing in
cataracts and oculoplastics. He is double certified by The American Board of Ophthalmology and by
The American Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
Dr. Murrell opened his own private practice in 1987 in Amarillo, Texas. He later created and
co-founded the Panhandle Eye Group and the Panhandle Eye Surgery Specialists Building. He has
treated thousands of patients and performed thousands of surgeries for cataracts, eyelids, dry eye,
and cosmetics. Patients travel far and wide to receive Dr. Murrell’s excellent care, and his
mission is to give each patient the best results while treating them with the utmost kindness and
respect.
W. John W. Murrell M.D. is a board certified ophthalmologist specializing in cataracts and oculoplastics. He is double certified by The American Board of Ophthalmology and by The American Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
After graduating with honors from the University of Maine in 1977, Dr. Murrell earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1981. He then interned at Southwestern Medical School at St. Paul hospital in Dallas before graduating from ophthalmology residency at Texas Tech Health Science Center in 1986. He also completed a fellowship in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston in 1987.
Dr. Murrell opened his own private practice in 1987 in Amarillo, Texas. He later helped co-created and co-founded Panhandle Eye Group and the Panhandle Eye Surgery Specialists Building. He has treated thousands of patients and performed thousands of surgeries for cataracts, eyelids, dry eye, and cosmetics. Patients travel far and wide to receive Dr. Murrell’s excellent care, and his mission is to give each patient the best results while treating them with the utmost kindness and respect.
Dr. Murrell is married with two daughters and one granddaughter. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his family, playing golf with friends, and cheering on his favorite sports teams: the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox, the San Antonio Spurs, and the University of Maine Black Bear hockey team.
Dr. Murrell specializes in cataract surgery. Performing thousands of cataract surgeries throughout his career, he receives rave reviews from patients and is proud to help clear their cloudy vision. Before each cataract procedure, patients will have one or more consultations, during which Dr. Murrell will help forge a shared plan for the results they want to achieve.
Having invested in the latest cataract surgery equipment and technology, Dr. Murrell can detect eye diseases that a standard exam cannot. Dr. Murrell can also treat many of these diseases if he can identify them in advance. This can also to improve the quality of the patient’s post-operation vision. Although other diseases cannot be treated, detecting them in advance allows Dr. Murrell to provide the patient a more realistic expectation of their post-operative vision. Using this technology allows for a happier, healthier, and more educated patient.
What Is A Cataract And Cataract Surgery?
A cataract is a condition that occurs when a patient’s natural eye lens clouds over and blurs their vision. During cataract surgery, Dr. Murrell removes the natural eye lens that has become clouded and replaces it by inserting an artificial IntraOcular Lens (IOL).
After Dr. Murrell completed his ophthalmology residency, he trained at a prestigious oculoplastic fellowship with Robert Wilkins, M.D. at the University of Texas. Dr. Wilkins wrote the landmark chapter on Blepharoplasty in the textbook “Oculoplastics.” One can consider this textbook a cornerstone of Oculoplastic knowledge. Since learning from the best, Dr. Murrell has performed thousands of Eyelid surgeries. His goals are to eliminate any medical issue in the eyelid and to provide aesthetically beautiful, natural-looking results with as minimal treatment as possible. He wants his patients to walk away looking and feeling more confident, more youthful, and more like themselves.
What Is Eyelid Surgery?
It is an eyelid surgery procedure that helps correct eyelid malpositions, improve eyelid function and enhance eyelid appearance. The most common eyelid surgery is blepharoplasty. Blepharoplasty is an eyelid surgery procedure that removes excessive eyelids skin and underlying fat. Since the eyelid skin is very thin it is often one of the first areas to show signs of aging. Eyelids that sag or droop can affect peripheral vision, making daily activities such as driving more difficult. Blepharoplasty may become necessary when various factors which include aging, sun damage, smoking, and obesity, cause the skin to stretch and underlying tissues to weaken.
Am I A Candidate For A Blepharoplasty?
Cosmetic eyelid surgery, blepharoplasty, is one of the few cosmetic procedures that is popular with both women and men. Why? Aging eyes don’t play favorites by gender. In fact, over the last decade, more and more men are having the procedure to compete with younger counterparts at the office.
A potential blepharoplasty patient with Dr. Murrell will have sagging skin and fat pockets on their eyelids, making the person appear older. Basically, anyone approaching middle age is a possible candidate for blepharoplasty. There are a few eye conditions that need to be under control prior to blepharoplasty such as dry eyes. These conditions would interfere with blepharoplasty.
In some cases, sagging eyelids are interfering with the patient’s vision. In these situations, we perform functional blepharoplasty to actually improve vision, particularly peripheral vision. Functional blepharoplasty is often covered by insurance.
What Is Dry Eye?
The Tear Film is made of a combination of 2 tear water producing glands and 1 tear oil producing gland located in the covering of the eye and in the eyelids. A dry eye most often is due to decreased of water and or tear oil. The result is a condition called dry eye.
Dry Eye Symptoms
For example, some symptoms of dry eye can include:
Stinging or burning eyes
Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
Excessive tearing
Excessive eye irritation in windy or smoky conditions
Scratchiness on the eyes
Discomfort wearing contact lenses
Why Does Tear Quality Matter?
Every time your eye blinks, a film of tears washes down the front of the eyeball, keeping it smooth and clear. When healthy, these tears consist of three layers: an oily layer, a watery layer, and a mucus layer. The oily layer, produced by the meibomian glands in the eyelids, is the outside layer. Its purpose it to reduce tear evaporation and smooth the tear surface. In the middle is the watery layer we usually associate with tears. The lacrimal gland produces this layer that cleanses and washes out any foreign particles or irritants. The inner layer consists of mucus produced by the conjunctiva. Mucus allows the tears to adhere to the eyeball.
Tears need to have all three layers to perform their function on the eyes.
What Causes Dry Eye?
Generally speaking, dry eye can result from various problems. As we age, everyone’s tear production drops. This is especially true of women after menopause. Often, tear quality is diminished when the meibomian gland is blocked because tears evaporate too quickly from the eye without the protection of the outer oil layer. A variety of medications can also reduce tear production: antihistamines, diuretics, beta-blockers, sleeping pills, nerve medications, and pain relievers.
Dry eye really comes down to one of these (or a combination of) glands located around both eyes:
Lack of tear water
Lack of/or Dysfunctional meibomian oil glands (tear oil)
Both lack of tear water and tear oil
Botox® is one of the world’s most famous brands. Every year since 2002, when Botox® was approved by the FDA for the treatment of wrinkles on the upper third of the face, Botox® injections have been the most popular cosmetic procedure performed in the U.S.
The reason? Botox® works. It erases forehead lines, crow’s feet, and the 11s between the brows for around four months.
Dr. Murrell offers Botox® in his practice.
Everyone, it seems, knows about Botox® and its treatment for wrinkles on the upper third of the face. But this neuromodulator has a variety of other uses.
Botox® is also used to treat:
Crossed eyes (strabismus)
Uncontrolled blinking
Muscle stiffness/spasms
Temporomandibular joint disorder
Migraine headaches
Overactive bladder
Excessive underarm sweating
We also use it off-label for other treatments.
Botox® injects right into the facial muscles that are causing furrows and deep wrinkles by using a very fine needle. The procedure doesn’t require anesthesia, however, some doctors decide to numb the injected areas with a topical anesthetic cream or ice packs. Botox® treatment is the most popular physician-performed nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in the US.
When injected into a muscle, Botox® works by blocking the nerve messages sent from the muscle to the brain. The brain never receives the message to contract the muscle, so the muscle stays relaxed.
There are two types of wrinkles: dynamic wrinkles, which are formed by muscle contractions under the skin, and static wrinkles, which are on display at all times. Botox® only works on dynamic wrinkles. These are wrinkles found on the upper third of the face — crow’s feet, forehead furrows, and the 11s between the brows. They form when we make expressions such as frowning.
When Dr. Murrell injects Botox® into the muscle creating crow’s feet, for instance, it blocks the nerve message so the underlying muscle that forms the wrinkle.
Everyone wants to have thick, lush eyelashes. But normal aging leads to thinner eyelashes. To mask the deficiency, an entire segment of the cosmetics industry has been devoted to thicker, longer eyelashes — mascara. But mascara is fickle, messy, a pain to apply and remove, and can be a factor in your eyelash loss.
Dr. Murrell has a better way for his patients to have longer, thicker eyelashes. It’s called Alphaeon Beauty Eyelash Serum, and you can get the product at our office (currently on backorder).
Once you know why your eyelashes are thinning, what can you do about it? Strengthen those thinning lashes with Alphaeon Eyelash Serum, available at Dr. Murrell’s practice. Alphaeon Eyelash Serum is fortified with peptides to help stimulate eyelash growth, plus biotin to encourage growth and prevent the lashes from becoming dry and thinner. Alphaeon Serum also contains pumpkin seed extract, which is rich in fatty acids and essential minerals, to nourish and fortify the hairs. Finally, sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid (a naturally occurring substance in the body that is responsible for hydrating the skin), helps condition and moisturize the eyelashes.
Bottom line? Regular use of Alphaeon Eyelash Serum leads to fuller, thicker eyelashes without any side effects.
After eight weeks of using Alphaeon Eyelash Serum in a clinical test:
• 80% of the women thought that Alphaeon had improved their overall eyelash appearance.
• 76% agreed that their lashes appeared longer, thicker, and more conditioned.
• 72% agreed that their lashes appeared less sparse.
Alphaeon Eyelash Serum Process
Fortifying your eyelashes with Alphaeon Eyelash Serum is simple. You simply apply the serum twice daily to the base of the upper eyelashes using the application brush supplied.
Then sit back and bat those new thicker, fuller lashes.
