Common Eye Disorders

Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens that prevents light from clearly reaching the retina, causing blurred, distorted, or dim vision. Cataracts can affect people of all ages but are most common in older adults.
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Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, sometime called “pink eye,” is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. It's the most common cause of red eye. 

 It can be caused by allergies or a bacterial or viral infection. Conjunctivitis can be extremely contagious and is spread by contact with eye secretions from someone who is infected.

Symptoms include redness, itching, and tearing of the eyes. It can also lead to discharge or crusting around the eyes.

It's important to stop wearing contact lenses while affected by conjunctivitis.

Treatment can speed up the recovery process. Allergic conjunctivitis can be treated with antihistamines. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be treated with antibiotic eye drops.
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Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea, the clear tissue on the front of the eye, begins to thin and bulge outward into a cone shape.

Keratoconus usually first appears during puberty or late teens and symptoms include blurred vision and sensitivity to light and glare.

Vision can be corrected with glasses or soft contact lenses early on, but as the condition progresses RGP or Scleral contact lenses become necessary. Early treatment with Corneal Collagen Crosslinking (CXL) can help stop progression. Advanced cases may require a cornea transplant.
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Chalazion

A chalazion is a small, firm, painless inflammatory lump that forms on the eyelid when an oil gland becomes blocked

Some chalazions may not need treatment. Hot compresses may help larger ones. A lasting chalazion may need to be removed by a doctor.
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Hordeolum (Stye)

A hordeolum, also known as a stye, is a painful, red, tender lump that forms on the eyelid. It's caused by a bacterial infection of the oil or sweat glands in the eyelid. Hordeola are common and usually harmless, though they can be painful.

Warm compresses and antibiotics are used to treat hordeolums.
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Myopia (Near Sighted)

Myopia is a common eye condition that causes blurred vision in the distance, with clear vision up close.

​​​​​​​Myopia happens when your eyeball grows too long from front to back, or when there are problems with the shape of your cornea (clear front layer of the eye) or lens (an inner part of the eye that helps the eye focus).
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Hyperopia (Far Sighted)

Hyperopia is a common vision condition that generally causes blurred near vision and but sometimes blurs distance vision also. Hyperopia also causes eye strain and headaches.

​​​​​​​Hyperopia occurs when the shape of the eye prevents light from bending correctly, causing images to form behind the retina. This can be due to an eye that is too short, or an abnormally shaped cornea or lens.
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Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common eye condition that occurs when the cornea or lens of the eye is abnormally shaped. This makes it difficult to see objects clearly at near and far distances, may create glare or halos around lights, cause starbursts around lights, and may cause ghost images.

With astigmatism, the front surface of the eye or the lens, inside the eye, is curved differently in one direction than the other, which splits the image as light enters the eye.
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Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a gradual, age-related loss of the eyes' ability to actively focus on near objects. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-40s and worsens until around age 65.

Symptoms include a need to hold reading material at arm’s length to make letters clearer, blurred vision at normal reading distance, eyestrain after reading, and it may cause headaches.
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Glaucoma

With all types of glaucoma, the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, is damaged, usually due to high eye pressure. If left untreated, glaucoma can eventually lead to blindness.

The most common type of glaucoma (open-angle glaucoma) often has no symptoms in the beginning. Vision loss slowly occurs as the nerves become damaged. Angle-closure glaucoma, although rare, is a medical emergency and its symptoms include eye pain with nausea and sudden visual disturbance.

Treatment includes eye drops, medications, and surgery.
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Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Macular Degeneration is a chronic eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision (reading, driving, watching TV, etc.).

There are two types of AMD: Dry and Wet.

Dry AMD: Is more common and usually the milder form of AMD. Dry AMD occurs when the light-sensitive cells (cones) in the macula slowly break down.

Wet AMD: Can happen more quickly and be more serious. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula and leak blood and fluid.

Early symptoms include blurred vision, and later symptoms include difficulty reading, driving, or recognizing faces. Other symptoms include warped vision, blind spots, and trouble seeing in low light.

​​​​​​​A special combination of vitamins and minerals (AREDS-2 formula) may reduce disease progression.
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Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Diabetic Retinopathy can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.

Early symptoms include floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision, and difficulty perceiving colors.

​​​​​​​Mild cases may be treated with careful diabetes management. Advanced cases may require laser treatment or surgery.
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Dry Eye

Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your eyes don't produce enough tears, or when your tears don't work properly.

Dry eyes can feel uncomfortable, and you may experience stinging, burning, itching, redness, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light. Symptoms are usually worse late in the day.

​​​​​​​Dry eyes can be caused by a number of factors, including aging, hormonal changes, poor blinking habits, a dry indoor environment, contact lenses, and certain medications.
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