Eye and vision conditions
Astigmatism may accompany farsightedness or nearsightedness. Usually it is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea (called corneal astigmatism). But sometimes lenticular astigmatism results from an irregularly shaped lens, which is located behind the cornea.
A Cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye's focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. As we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. Over time the protein clumping may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.
Conjunctivitis is sometimes referred to as “pink eye” is an infection of the thin, protective membrane that covers the surface of the eyeball and inner surface of the eyelid. Infection can be caused by bacteria, viruses and other germs transmitted to the eye through contaminated hande, towels, eye makeup or extended wear contact lenses, or from exposure to iritants such as chemicals, smoke or dust, pollen or allergens.
Corneal refractive therapy uses gas permeable contact lenses to gradually reshape the front surface of the cornea during sleep. The lenses are worn each night and removed upon awaking and are an alternative to LASIK to correct nearsightedness.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition occurring in a person with diabetes causing progressive damage to the retina and is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes.
Glaucoma refers to a category of eye disorders often associated with a dangerous buildup of internal eye pressure (intraocular pressure), which can damage the eye's optic nerve that transmits visual information to the brain. With untreated or uncontrolled glaucoma, you might eventually notice decreased ability to see at the edges of your vision (peripheral vision). Progressive eye damage could then lead to blindness.
LASIK is a surgical procedure that uses a laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. In LASIK, a thin flap in the cornea is created using either a special blade or laser. The surgeon folds back the flap, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed. With nearsighted people, the goal of LASIK is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. LASIK can also correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among those age 65 and older. AMD is degeneration of the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed to read or drive. Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (non–neovascular) or wet (neovascular). Non–neovascular is an early stage of the disease and may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two processes. Neovascular refers to growth of new blood vessels in an area, such as the macula, where they are not supposed to be. With neovascular macular degeneration, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes permanent damage to light-sensitive retinal cells, which die off and create blind spots in central vision.
Retinal detachment is a separation of the light-sensitive membrane in the back of the eye (retina) from its supporting layers, and can lead to a rapid visual loss.
