Most eye disorders do not manifest early symptoms. Sometimes they are painless and a person may see no difference in vision until the disease has become quite advanced.
The best way to guard your eyes is by having regular medical checkup. Any unfamiliar development in your eyes should be reported to the doctor as soon as possible. The most common vision problems include refractive errors. Refractive errors comprise of farsightedness, nearsightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.
Refractive errors do occur when the shape of the eye hinder the light from focusing directly onto the retina.
Refraction refers to bending of light that happens when it passes from one object to another. People see clearly with their eyes when the light rays are bent as they pass the cornea and the lens.
When the light converges on the retina, the retina converts the rays into information, which is then sent by the optic nerve to the brain. The brain then performs the work of interpreting the messages into the images we see.
Types of refractive errors
Nearsightedness: This condition is also referred to as myopia. Myopia occurs when an individual sees the nearby objects clearly, but the distant objects seem blurry.
Farsightedness: This ailment is also named hyperopia. It is a general refractive error that makes the distant objects visible, but the near object appears blurred.
Astigmatism: This condition makes the eye incapable of focusing light evenly onto the retina. The retina is the light sensitive tissue located at the back of the eye. Astigmatism makes images appear stretched out and blurry.
Presbyopia: This condition is age-related, and it makes the eye’s ability to focus difficult. During advanced age, the eye becomes unable to change shape enough to make it possible to view the nearby objects clearly. Presbyopia mostly affects adults who are above the age of 35.
Other refractive errors do affect both adults and children. People who have their parents or other family members with refractive errors are more likely to get either one or more of these illnesses.
Symptoms of refractive errors
The most common symptom of refractive errors is blurred vision. Other symptoms comprise of haziness, squinting, double vision, headache, eyestrain and glare.
Professionals perform diagnosis of refractive errors during a comprehensive dilated eye examination.
Many people with these errors visit eye care professionals with complaints related to ocular discomfort or blurred vision. The doctor usually uses eyeglasses, surgery or contact lenses to correct these refractive errors.
Low Vision
Individuals with low vision do not get aid by using eyeglasses, contact lenses, surgery or medicine. People affected by poor vision find it hard to perform the routine daily chores like cooking, shopping reading, writing and watching television.
Conditions that may lead to low vision include age-related macular degeneration, bulging eyes, cataracts, CMV Retinitis, color blindness, crossed eyes, diabetic macular edema, glaucoma, eye floaters and eye flashes, keratoconus, lazy eyes, ocular high blood pressure, uveitis and retinal detachment.
Irrespective of the cause, when vision is lost, it cannot be restored. However, it is possible to manage the condition through proper treatment and vision rehabilitation.
People with low vision are unable to recognize the faces of family members and friends. They also find it difficult to read, cook, or perform the usual daily chores. These are usually the early warning signs of low vision. If you find it difficult to accomplish the things you used to do or experience blurred vision, you should consult an eye professional immediately.
Diagnosis of eye disorders
Various tests are used to diagnose eye disorders:
- Angiography
Angiography of the eye involves injecting the eye with dyes to make the blood vessels of the eye more visible. This makes it simpler for the doctor to photograph and examine them.
- Electroretinography
Electroretinography makes it possible for the doctors to examine the light sensing cells located in the retina. This procedure is useful in evaluating diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.
- Ultrasonography
During this procedure, a probe is placed against a closed eyelid to bounce sound waves off the eyeball. The reflected sound waves then produce an image showing the inside of the eye. Ultrasonography is useful in determining the nature of abnormal structures inside the eye.
- Optical Coherence Tomography
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses high-resolution images to show the structures located on the posterior side of the eye like the retina, vitreous humor and choroid. This method is useful in the assessment of a swollen retina.
- Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
These imaging techniques are helpful in providing detailed information about an eye’s orbit and structures inside the eye. These methods evaluate eye injuries, tumors and optic neuritis.
Treatment options
Treatment options of eye disorders mainly comprise of medical therapies and botulinum toxin injections. The injections are administered to stop muscle spasm for disorders such as hemifacial spasm.
Surgery is also performed by specialists to restore straight eye alignment. Laser surgery is done to treat some vision disorders.
Many surgical procedures are done in an outpatient setting, without the patient having to spend a night in the hospital.
Prevention
eye disorders can be prevented by observing the following:
- Eating right: eating the right foods including fruits and vegetables is helpful to the eyes.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: excessive weight increases the risk of diseases such as diabetes that can harm vision.
- Wear protective eyewear: always protect your eyes by wearing protective gear especially when working, doing certain sports or other home improvement activities.
- Wear sunglasses: Sunglasses protect the eyes from sun damage.
- Quit smoking: many of the eye disorders have been linked to smoking.
- Wash hands. Always wash hands thoroughly before putting in the contact lenses to avoid infections.
Sources
- http://disorders.eyes.arizona.edu/
- http://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/cms/One.aspx?pageId=15412546
- https://hsci.harvard.edu/eye-diseases-0
- http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-aging-eye-preventing-and-treating-eye-disease
- https://www.med.unc.edu/ophth/for-patients/Eye-Diseases-and-Disorders
- https://medlineplus.gov/eyediseases.html
- https://nei.nih.gov/
- https://nei.nih.gov/health
- https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/
- https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basic_information/eye_health_tips.htm
Recent Comments