Eye Diseases

Types of Eye Problems

AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD) –AMD is a leading cause of   new cases of vision loss among older adults. The degeneration affects the macula, the central area of the back of the eye that is responsible for reading vision. As a   result, the ability to see fine details is impaired. Treatment can be effective for   some types of macular degeneration, but early detection in the course of the disease is vital.

AMBLYOPIA (Lazy Eye) –Seeing well with one eye, but poorly with the other. The eyes may appear healthy, straight, and normal. The two eyes must learn to work together, one eye must learn to work alone, or one eye takes over and does the work while the other eye becomes functionally blind. Visual impairment from Amblyopia can be prevented if recognized and treated early. By age 6 to 7 it is probably too late.

ASTIGMATISM –Blurred vision that is usually the result of irregularities in the shape of the cornea (the transparent window of the eye). In astigmatism, some orientations of lines (for example, vertical or horizontal) are seen more clearly than others.

CATARACT –Clouding of the lens in the eye. It is estimated that 95 percent of those over 65 years of age have some degree of cataract which may or may not cause blurring of vision. If a cataract causes vision loss that interferes with important activities, the cataract can be surgically removed, resulting in an improvement of the vision in majority of cases.

COLOR DEFICIENCY –An inability, most often inherited, to distinguish among certain colors–usually red and green, but sometimes blue and yellow. Usually not correctable, but does not affect overall vision.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY –A major cause of vision impairment and blindness. It is a disorder in which small blood vessels nourishing the retina (back layer of the eye) weaken and break down or become blocked.

GLAUCOMA –The “sneak thief” of sight, produces a painless increase of the pressure inside the eye which “silently” destroys the optic nerve–eventually resulting in loss of vision and blindness. Through early intervention and strict adherence to medical treatment, most cases can be controlled and the risk of additional visual loss and blindness reduced. High risk individuals include those with a family history of Glaucoma, the elderly, very dark eyed individuals, diabetics, those who had a significant eye injury in the past, and those on long-                                                           term steroids.

HYPEROPIA (Farsightedness) –In this condition, the eyeball is too short for the normal focusing power of the eye. In children, the lens in the eye accommodates for this error and provides clear vision for distant, and usually near, viewing, but with considerable effort that often causes fatigue and sometime crossed eyes (Strabismus).

MYOPIA (Nearsightedness) –In myopia, the eyeball is typically too long for the eye’s optics.

STRABISMUS (Sq

uinted, Crossed Eyes) –A misalignment of the eyes that makes it difficult, and in many cases impossible, to fixate both eyes on a single object.