7 Common Eye Diseases

1. Cataracts

Cataracts cause cloudiness of the eye’s lens and become more common with age. Symptoms include blurry vision, light sensitivity, seeing double, seeing faded colors, or problems seeing well at night. Risk factors for cataracts include aging, family history, diabetes, smoking, and a previous eye injury. Treatment for cataracts is cataract removal, which helps 90% of patients see better.

1. Glaucoma

Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve, often with no symptoms until vision loss is noticed, typically peripheral or side vision. Risk factors for glaucoma include aging, family history, and high eye pressure. Treatment includes medications, laser therapy, surgery, or a combination. Although you can’t reverse vision loss from glaucoma, the right treatments and regular eye exams can help prevent future damage.

1. Refractive Errors

Refractive errors include:

• Astigmatism: Abnormally shaped cornea or lens blurring vision.
• Farsightedness: Difficulty seeing objects up close.
• Nearsightedness: Difficulty seeing things far away.

Symptoms of refractive errors include needing to squint or strain to look at certain things and headaches. Risk factors for refractive errors include being born with an eyeball that’s too long or short or having problems with the shape of the cornea. Treatment for refractive errors includes glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. However, even with treatment, new refractive errors may develop with age.

1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, affects central (middle) vision. Risk factors for AMD include a family history, aging, smoking, and being overweight or obese. Treatments for AMD include medication injections into the eye and using specially formulated vitamins to reduce the risk of a type of macular degeneration called dry AMD. Although eye injections are effective, people may not get them as often as recommended, reducing actual effectiveness to around 50%.

1. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease that affects the blood vessels in the retina and affects people with diabetes. Advanced diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss and blindness. Symptoms include difficulty seeing objects or reading. Treatments for diabetic retinopathy include laser treatment, medication injections, and surgery, which can help manage, improve, or restore vision.

1. Dry Eye

Dry eye occurs when the eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce poor-quality tears. Symptoms include stinging and burning in the eyes, blurry vision, and a gritty feeling. Causes of dry eye include environmental factors, certain medications, and chronic conditions. Treatment for dry eye includes artificial tears, environmental modifications, and medication to improve tear quality.

1. Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a natural age-related change to the eyes affecting near vision after age 40. Symptoms include difficulty seeing objects close up and headaches. Treatments include reading glasses, bifocal lenses, corneal inlays, and surgery.

How Eye Disease is Diagnosed

Eye doctors—optometrists or ophthalmologists—diagnose eye diseases using regular exams, which can include visual acuity tests and eye dilation. Treatment plans may include surgery, medication, glasses, or contact lenses, depending on the type of eye disease and its progression.

Self-Care and Lifestyle With Eye Disease

Regardless of the eye disease you may have, there are steps you can take to manage it and lower its impact on daily life:

* Avoid tobacco
* Eat a balanced diet
* Exercise regularly
* Get regular eye exams
* Seek support
* Take medications as prescribed
* Use vision aids such as eyeglasses

Summary

Eye diseases are common, with symptoms like blurred vision, seeing double, and headaches. Some eye diseases may have no symptoms. Treatments vary, but can include surgery, medication, and vision aids like glasses or contact lenses. By following this article and talking to eye care professionals, you can better manage eye diseases and maintain good eye health.

Frequently Asked Questions

(Questions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases and self-care tips are common. Feel free to provide additional sections for readers seeking more information.)