Eye diseases can reveal a lot more about your general health than meets the eye. Some Eye diseases can reveal your age and others may worsen due to your nutritional deficiencies or unhealthy lifestyle practices such as smoking. Still others occur for no apparent reason at all.
An Eye disease which has been implicated with the aging process is a
. The severity of the symptoms is dependent on whether the Macula Hole is partial or full-thickness.
Partial holes only affect part of the macula layers, resulting in wavy, distorted, and blurred vision. On the other hand, full-thickness holes can cause a complete loss of central vision.
The need for eyeglass prescription is not an Eye disease although some prescription types may put you at risk for certain Eye diseases. An example is
which can put you at risk for such conditions as Glaucoma
or Retinal Detachment.You are nearsighted when you have Myopia. This means you are sighted at near, or you see better at near and worse at far.
The eyes have a complex system of blood vessels, nerves, and muscles that must all function properly for the eyes to track accurately and in sync.
Have your eyes ever been described as “dancing eyes.” Do they move back and forth uncontrollably? You may have a form of
Nystagmus may be described as a periodic, rhythmic oscillation of the eyes. It is involuntary, rapid (sometimes more so in one direction than another), and repetitive. There are many ways to classify Nystagmus, depending on direction, cause, symmetry, and other features.
Not only are healthy eyes dependent on proper circulation, nerve conduction, and muscle function, but also protection from infection.
Have you ever been surprised to hear that you have
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is a common virus affecting humans. It is perhaps best known as the cause of cold sores that sometimes occur following a cold or fever.
Treatment will include both topical (eye drops) and oral antiviral agents. The oral agent is given to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. You may also get topical antibiotics in order to prevent a secondary infection. Ocular lubricants may also be used to sooth the eye.
Given that the eyeball is not hollow and its content is under the fluid pressure of the circulation of both blood and aqueous contents, it is no surprise that the eye pressure can rise like blood pressure can.
refers to high eye pressure readings (known as Intraocular Pressures). If your eye pressure is higher than 21 mm Hg, your eye doctor may become suspicious of Glaucoma and check for other signs of Glaucoma such as loss of
or optic nerve damage.
Loss of Peripheral Vision may occur as the result of a variety of Eye Diseases or trauma.The diagnosis of loss of Peripheral Vision or of Tunnel Vision is primarily going to depend on your complaints or symptoms.
Depending on the issues that you bring up while talking to your eye care provider, he or she will decide whether you need further testing of your Visual Field. Most routine eye exams will include some type of VF screening test.
Loss of Peripheral Vision can also occur during an
Have you ever had strange visual disturbances like flashing lights, jagged lines, circles, squares, or distortions of things you see out of either one or both eyes?
Perhaps you have experienced symptoms beyond these disturbances to dizziness, ringing in the ears, trouble focusing, slurred speech or trouble finding the right word when you talk. You may be suffering from Ocular Migraines. You may experience these symptoms without a headache.
We see that there are similarities between the eye’s functioning and the body’s functioning. There exist similarities in circulatory problems (as observed in migraines) or pressure readings (as observed in Glaucoma).
Other similarities between the body and the eyes involve skin conditions. Have you noticed prominent, dilated blood vessels (known as telangiectatic vessels) on your cheeks? Does your nose look swollen and red? You may have Rosacea. Are your eyelids red and swollen?
You may also have
Certain Eye Diseases will give you a typical eye symptom like
Photophobia is a fairly common symptom of a wide array of eye and health conditions marked by eye discomfort or pain induced by light, whether the light is natural or artificial.
If you experience sudden Photophobia consult an eye care provider immediately. Your eye doctor will rule out if any eye disease is causing the symptom. The key to any diagnosis will begin with your description of symptoms.
Whether your eyes are sensitive to sunlight or not, your eye doctor will recommend that you routinely wear UV protection sunglasses, which serve as “sunscreen” to your eyes.
One potential Eye Disease that you can get from chronic, unprotected sunlight exposure is the presence of
Have you noticed a yellowish bump on the white part of your eyes? Are your eyes red and irritated? Do your eyes feel dry? You may have a Pinguecula.
This benign growth typically won’t affect your vision unless it continues to grow over the cornea, in which case it is called a
A Pterygium has been described as a degenerative or inflammatory process. However, it can also be a proliferative process since it can grow and encroach further into the cornea.
If it continues to grow into the visual axis of the cornea, it may have to be surgically removed.
Some Eye Diseases are common in certain regions, or like the two mentioned previously, are more prevalent in sunny areas. Other Eye Diseases can happen anywhere, regardless of climate or terrain.
One such condition is the common
. Pink Eye is the most common eye problem presenting to eye doctor clinics.
Pink Eye is highly contagious, whether it is caused by bacteria or virus. Make sure to change your pillow cases daily to avoid re-infection as well as towels. Never use the same tissue for both eyes. Pink Eye can happen to the young and elderly alike.
Some eye conditions are age-related. Not all age-related vision loss is caused by Eye Diseases. For example, an aging change that affects most people over 40 yet is not a disease is the loss of near vision.
Reading small print becomes exceedingly difficult. This is called
Another often age-related eye condition is
Ptosis is a condition that is most often caused by a malfunction of the levator muscle of the eye, which performs most of the work of lifting the upper eyelid up in an open eye. When it malfunctions, the upper lid droops down, covering part of the eye.
Malfunctions of the extraocular muscles which are responsible for the moving of your eyes can lead to
Strabismus has often been referred to in layman terms as “Crossed Eyes” or “Wall Eyes”. Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. One eye is either constantly or intermittently turned in, out, up, or down.
Accompanying the ocular misalignment may be abnormal motility of one or both eyes, Double Vision, Amblyopia, ocular discomfort, or abnormal head posture. In some cases Strabismus is hereditary.
Heredity plays a part in many Eye Diseases. Have you experienced night vision loss? Have you experienced loss of your
Has your eye doctor said that you have scars in the back of your eye (Retina)? You may have
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) describes a variety of inherited dystrophies (or degenerative disorders) of the Retina. The age of onset and severity of symptoms of RP vary with each genetic type.
Another inherited Eye Disease is
Stargardt Macular Dystrophy.
Stargardt Macular Dystrophy is the most common juvenile to adolescent-onset macular dystrophy. The estimated prevalence of Stargardt Macular Dystrophy is one in 8,000 to 10,000.
RP and Stargardt Macular Dystrophy are examples of
Aging, excessive sunlight, poor nutrition, and common health issues like Diabetes and High Blood Pressure can wreak havoc on this critical tissue responsible for clear vision. Get periodic dilated exams to make sure your Retina stays healthy.
Autoimmune conditions can cause inflammatory Eye Diseases. Are your eyes extremely dry? Do you have a dry mouth as well? Do you have any body complaints like dry skin, skin rashes, or weakness in joints or muscles? You may have
Sjogren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are caused by the action of antibodies produced against your own body’s normally occurring substances.
Inflammation can affect all parts of the eye. The lids, for example, can have chronic inflammation in the form of Blepharitis. A possible result of chronic Blepharitis is the development of an infected and clogged oil gland in the eyelids referred to as a
The inside of the eye can also be afflicted by inflammation. Have you suffered from a deep, boring pressure type pain in one or both eyes? Have you had redness in one or both eyes? Have you been very sensitive to light? Has your vision been fluctuating along with these symptoms? You may be suffering from
Uveitis is inflammation of uveal tissues inside the eye, mainly the iris (the colored part of the eye) and the ciliary body.Some eye conditions may appear more serious than they really are. One classic example is
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage is a bursted blood vessel on the white part of the eye, often resulting from a sudden increase in pressure which can occur from such activities as sneezing, coughing, forcible vomiting, heavy lifting or blowing your nose.
Other Eye Diseases are serious enough to require surgery. An example of a surgical procedure performed on eyes is
The inside of the eye is not hollow. There is a gel that is found behind the crystalline lens and in front of the the Retina. This gel is known as the Vitreous. Vitrectomy is a procedure in which the gel of the eye is removed gently.
Return From Eye Diseases to Home