Top Causes of Eye Problems
Most people experience eye issues at some point. Some are simple to cure at home or are mild and will go away on their own. Others require the assistance of an expert.
There are steps you can take to restore your eye health, regardless of whether your eyesight isn't as good as it once was or never was.
Check to see if any of these typical issues seem familiar. Additionally, if your symptoms are severe or don't go away in a few days, please consult a doctor.
Eyestrain
This one is well known to anyone who spends a lot of time reading, using a computer, or traveling long distances. When you use your eyes excessively, it occurs.
Give your eyes a break if they are feeling tired. After a few days, if they are still fatigued, consult with your doctor to be sure there isn't another issue.
Red Eyes
Your eyes look bloodshot. Why?
Blood vessels that cover their surface enlarge when they get inflamed or diseased. Your eyes seem red as a result of it.
Eyestrain, a late night, a lack of sleep, or allergies can all cause it. Check with your doctor whether an injury is the root of the problem.
Red eyes may be a sign of another eye ailment, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye) or UV damage caused by years of neglecting to use sunglasses. Consult your doctor if over-the-counter eye drops and rest don't help.
Night Blindness
Does nighttime vision provide a challenge, especially when driving? Is it difficult to navigate dimly lit spaces, such as movie theaters?
Night blindness is what that sounds like. It's a symptom, not a standalone issue. A kind of night blindness that doctors may treat is brought on by nearsightedness, cataracts, keratoconus, and a deficiency in vitamin A.
Some people are born with this issue, and it can also result from a retinal degenerative condition that is typically incurable. If you have it, you must exercise particular caution in dimly lit locations.
Lazy Eye
Amblyopia, often known as lazy eye, develops when one eye is not correctly formed. That eye has worse vision and moves more "lazily" than the other while remaining still. Infants, kids, and adults can have it, but seldom do both eyes. Infants and youngsters need to get treatment right away.
If a lazy eye is identified and corrected during the early stages of development, lifelong vision issues can be prevented. In addition to applying a patch or other methods to force a kid to utilize their lazy eye, treatment options include corrective glasses or contact lenses.
Cross Eyes (Strabismus) and Nystagmus
You could have strabismus if, when you gaze at something, your eyes aren't aligned with one another. Crossed eyes and walleye are some names for it.
This issue won't just go away by itself. To assist strengthen the weak eye muscles, you may occasionally attend vision therapy sessions with an eye doctor. You'll frequently need to consult an ophthalmologist, or eye surgeon, to have it surgically fixed.
Nystagmus is a condition in which the eye constantly twitches or "jiggles" on its own.
To strengthen your eyes, vision therapy is one of several therapies available. Surgery is another choice. To determine which treatment could be most effective for you, your doctor will check your eyes.
Colorblindness
You could be colorblind if you have trouble seeing some hues or distinguishing between them (often reds and greens). It takes place when the cone cells, or color cells, in your eye are damaged or nonexistent.
You can only see in grayscale when it's the worst, but this rarely happens. Most individuals who have it are born with it, but some drugs and illnesses might also cause you to acquire it later in life. You can learn the cause from your doctor. Compared to women, men are far more likely to be born with it.
A quick test can identify it for your eye doctor. If you were born with it, there is no cure, but for some people, special contacts and glasses can help them distinguish between different colors.
Uveitis
This is the term used to describe a group of conditions that inflame the uvea. The majority of the blood vessels are located in the central layer of the eye.
These conditions can damage ocular tissue and potentially result in the loss of an eye. It is available to all ages of people. Symptoms could disappear right away or might linger for a while.
Uveitis may be more common in people with immune system disorders including AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, or ulcerative colitis. Some signs could be:
Blurred vision
Eye pain
Eye redness
Light sensitivity
If you experience these symptoms and they don't subside after a few days, consult a doctor. Depending on the type of uveitis you have, there are many treatment options.
Presbyopia
This occurs when your ability to clearly see up-close items and small print is compromised despite having adequate distance vision.
You might need to hold a book or other reading material farther from your eyes after the age of 40 in order to make it easier to read. in the same way that your arms are too short.
To regain clear reading vision, reading glasses, contact lenses, and other techniques can be employed.
Floaters
These are minuscule specks or dots that drift into your field of view. Most people become aware of them in well-lit areas or outside on a sunny day.
Although floaters are typically normal, they can occasionally signal a more serious eye condition, such as a detached retina. The retina at the back of your eye separates from the layer beneath it at that point. Along with the floaters, you might experience light flashes at this time, or a black shadow may move over the edge of your field of vision.
Visit your eye doctor as soon as you can if you detect a sudden change in the type or quantity of spots or flashes you see or a new black "curtain" in your peripheral vision.
Dry Eyes
When your eyes are unable to produce enough high-quality tears, this condition develops. Occasionally, in severe situations, extreme dryness can cause some loss of vision. Some treatments include:
Using a humidifier in your home
Special eye drops that work like real tears
Plugs in your tear ducts to lessen drainage
Lipiflow, a procedure that uses heat and pressure to treat dry eyes
Testosterone eyelid cream
Nutritional supplements with fish oil and omega-3
You may have dry eye disease if your dry eye condition is chronic. To increase tear production, your doctor may advise you to take cyclosporine (Cequa, Restasis), lifitegrast (Xiidra), or Tyrvaya nose spray.
Excess Tearing
Your emotions have nothing to do with it. You might be sensitive to changes in temperature, wind, or light. Try to shield your eyes or wear sunglasses to keep them safe (choose wraparound frames because they block more wind than other styles).
Tearing could also be an indication of something more serious, like an infection in the eye or a blocked tear duct. Both of these issues can be treated or resolved by your eye specialist.
Cataracts
These grow in the eye lens as foggy spots.
Like a camera's, a healthy lens is transparent. It allows light to reach your retina, the part of your eye at the rear where images are processed. A cataract makes it harder for light to pass through. As a result, your vision is impaired, and you can see nighttime glare or a halo around lights.
Cataracts often develop gradually. They do not result in symptoms such eye pain, redness, or tearing.
Some remain little and have no impact on your vision. Surgery can nearly always restore your vision if they advance and do so.
Glaucoma
Like a tire, your eye has some safe and typical pressure inside of it. However, excessive doses can harm your visual nerve. The term "glaucoma" refers to a set of illnesses that induce this condition.
Primary open angle glaucoma is a typical kind. Most sufferers don't experience any early signs of illness or suffering. Therefore, it's crucial to maintain your monthly eye checkups.
Even though it's uncommon, glaucoma can be brought on by:
An injury to the eye
Blocked blood vessels
Inflammatory disorders of the eye
Surgery or prescription eye drops are used as treatments.
Retinal Disorders
The cells that make up the retina, a small layer on the back of your eye, gather images and transmit them to your brain. Disorders of the retina can harm retinal cells and prevent this transmission. There are various kinds:
Age-related macular degeneration is the collapse of the macula, a tiny area of the retina.
Damage to the blood vessels in your retina brought on by diabetes is known as diabetic retinopathy.
When the retina separates from the layer below, it is said to have detached.
Early diagnosis and treatment of these disorders are crucial.
Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)
The tissue that covers your sclera and lines the back of your eyelids becomes inflamed in this illness. It might result in redness, tears, discharge, itching, burning, or the sensation that something is in your eye.
All ages can purchase it. Infections, contact with irritants and chemicals, or allergies are some of the causes.
Wash your hands frequently to reduce your risk of contracting it.
Corneal Diseases
The clear, dome-shaped "window" on the front of your eye is called the cornea. It aids in concentrating the incoming light. It can be harmed by illness, infection, harm, and exposure to toxins. Symptoms include:
Red eyes
Watery eyes
Pain
Reduced vision, or a halo effect
The main treatment methods include:
A new eyeglasses or contacts prescription
Medicated eye drops
Surgery
Eyelid Problems
Your eyelids serve you in several ways. They cover the surface of your eye with tears, shield it from light, and provide protection.
Common signs of eyelid issues include pain, itching, tears, and sensitivity to light. Additionally, you can experience blinking fits or inflamed outer borders close to your eyelashes.
Surgery, medicine, and proper cleansing are all possible forms of treatment.
Vision Changes
You might discover that as you age, your vision isn't as good as it once was. That is typical. You'll probably require contacts or glasses. You can decide to have LASIK surgery to fix your vision. If you already use glasses, a stronger prescription might be necessary.
As you become older, other, more severe conditions also develop. Vision issues can be brought on by eye conditions such cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Keep up with your eye checkups because the symptoms of these conditions vary widely.
Some eyesight alterations might be harmful and necessitate urgent medical attention. See a doctor straight away if you experience a sudden loss of eyesight or if everything seems fuzzy, even if it is just brief. Call 911 or go to the emergency room.
Problems With Contact Lenses
Many people find them to be useful, but you must take care of them. Clean your hands before handling anything. Observe the after-care instructions included with your prescription. And adhere to these guidelines:
Never put them in your mouth to wet them. An infection may become more likely as a result.
To prevent scratching your eyes, make sure your contact lenses are properly fitted.
Use eyedrops that are labeled as contact lens safe.
Use only store-bought saline solutions. Although sleeping in some lenses is FDA-approved, doing so increases the risk of developing a serious infection.
Consult your eye doctor if you follow all instructions precisely and your contacts are still giving you trouble. It's possible that you have allergies, dry eyes, or might just benefit from wearing glasses. You can choose what is best for you once you are aware of the issue.
Comments