Vision Conditions

As part of enhancing your healthy sight and wellness for today – and for the future – it’s important to understand the various conditions that can affect your eyes.

In general, to maintain healthy sight and reduce the risk of damage to your eyes, make caring for the preciousness of your sight part of your everyday life:

Have your eyes checked regularly
Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day
Eat properly and take vitamin supplements if recommended
Avoid smoking
Exercise regularly
Rest your eyes and blink frequently when reading, working on your computer or watching television
Avoid rubbing your eyes
Select everyday eyewear that helps protect your eyes from UV light and glare

Common Eye Conditions

It’s also important to be able to recognize common eye conditions and know the steps to take if you are experiencing one of the following. Remember, this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice.

Minor Eye Irritation

This type of irritation could include sand, dirt, or another foreign body on the eye’s surface. To dislodge the object, wash your hands and then flush the eye with lukewarm water for up to 15 minutes. If the object remains embedded, seek professional medical help immediately.

Conjunctivitis (Pink eye)

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, or clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and lining of the eyelids. There are actually 20 different types of conjunctivitis, from fairly common strains that usually pose no long-term danger to you or your child’s vision, to strains that are resistant to antibiotics. Call or see your doctor to treat pinkeye.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Itching, burning and irritation of the eyes, sometimes called “dry eye syndrome”, is one of the most common problems treated by eyecare professionals. It is usually caused by the quality of the tears that lubricate our eyes. As we age, our bodies produce less oil to seal the eyes’ watery layer. Hot, arid climates, air conditioning, certain medicines and irritants such as cigarette smoke can all affect dryness. Your eyecare professional might prescribe “artificial tears” or other eye drops to help alleviate the problem.

Floaters and Spots

Have you ever noticed a small speck moving in your field of vision? It might be what is called a floater – a tiny clump of gel or cells in the vitreous, the clear, jelly-like fluid inside your eye. Aging, eye injury and breakdown of the vitreous are the main causes of floaters. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of spots you see, ask for medical advice.

Photokeratitis

A “sunburn” of the cornea caused by UVB rays. Symptoms include discomfort, blurred vision and light sensitivity. It may also be referred to as radiation keratitis or snowblindness.

Photophobia

Also called “light sensitivity”, photophobia is a condition that can have many underlying causes and can be prompted by many medications. Protection from UV radiation is critical for anyone with this condition.

Presbyopia

A progressive condition that is a natural part of aging. Presbyopia is a decrease in the ability to focus sharply on nearby objects and often results in the need to use magnifying reading glasses, bifocals or progressive lenses.

Pinguecula

This is a raised growth on the eye that is most often directly related to over-exposure to the sun. A pinguecula is a localised, slightly elevated yellowish area that develops in the eye and can be more common to people who spend more time in direct sunlight, for work or recreation. A pinguecula does not usually require treatment, but surgery may be necessary for cosmetic concerns. Protecting your eye from UV radiation is a critical preventive measure of this condition.

Pterygium

This is a raised growth on the eye that is most often directly related to over-exposure to the sun. Dry, dusty conditions may also be a factor. Protecting your eye from UV radiation is also a critical preventive measure of this condition.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in those 65 years of age and older. It is also called AMD or ARMD (age-related macular degeneration), and occurs when the macula – the part of the retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed to read or drive – degenerates.

Cataracts

When we hear the word “cataract” we might think of a film on someone’s eyes that causes double or blurred vision. But a cataract does not form on our eye, but rather within our eye. Have you ever opened your eyes underwater? People with cataracts say it’s like looking through water. In fact, the word “cataract” means waterfall.

A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of our eye that makes it hard to see. In a normal eye, the crystalline lens is almost transparent and can change shape to focus objects at different distances from the eye. When the lens loses its flexibility and becomes “opaque”, we call it a cataract.

Some types of cataract formation have been linked to over-exposure over a long period of time to ultraviolet (UV) light. As people age, many develop cataracts, but they can be treated with a safe and simple surgical procedure performed by an ophthalmologist.