An Eye Problem? It Could Be One Of These Common Eye Diseases.
Common eye diseases present themselves with any number of telltale signs and symptoms, any of which should lead you to seek out the advice of an eyecare professional. Your eyes – and your eye health – are too important for you to ignore diseases of the eye that bring pain, problems with your vision, loss of vision, visible injury or things that just look or feel abnormal to you. Remember, too, that an eye disease can have no symptoms at all, making it all the more important to get a regular eye exam as a way of maintaining your healthy eyesight.
Common Eye Diseases.
Below is a list of common diseases of the eye along with a brief description of each. As with all things affecting your healthy eyesight, we're giving you some general information that should not be mistaken for medical advice. Guide information is not a substitute for the expert advice of an eye health professional. Common eye diseases include:
- Cataracts: marked by the visible clouding of the lens of the eye.
- Diabetes and your eyes: from common diabetic retinopathy to a number of other eye disorders, diabetes can wreak havoc on healthy eyesight.
- Glaucoma: it's not one but a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve causing partial or even total blindness if not diagnosed and treated properly.
- Macular Degeneration: generally associated with aging and is marked by the gradual loss of central vision needed to perform everyday tasks.
- Floaters and Spots: tiny, free-floating matter inside your eye. Aging, eye injury, and breakdown of the vitreous are the main causes of floaters, and they are generally harmless.
- Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye): also known as "pinkeye." Call or see your eye doctor or family physician to treat pinkeye.
- Dry Eye Syndrome: one of the most common diseases of the eye marked by itching, burning, and irritation. Your eyecare professional might prescribe "artificial tears" or other eye drops as treatment.
- Pinguecula or Pterygium: This is a raised growth on the eye that is most often directly related to over-exposure to the sun. It is a benign growth, often requiring no treatment unless it obstructs or interferes with vision. A Pterygium refers to a growth that has encroached the pupil and adversely affects vision.
Treatments for these and other diseases of the eye can include the prescribing of various eye medications, the affecting of key lifestyle changes or even surgery. In addition, sunwear and/or eyeglass lens treatments such as anti-reflective coatings, UV protection and advanced photochromic technologies are often recommended by eyecare professionals to supplement clinical care or as preventative measures for many eye diseases.
The information seen here is for reference purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose or prescribe any specific treatment(s). For all questions and concerns about your vision, eye health and potential eye problems, please consult an eyecare professional.
Special thanks to the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, for source material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the NEI/NIH website.