What is nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness, or myopia as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which near objects are generally seen clearly, but objects far away are blurry.
Why does myopia occur?
There are a number of things that can potentially cause nearsightedness but two of the most common are when the front of the eye (the cornea) has too much curvature or the eyeball is physically too long. Hereditary factors often control the growth and development of the eye. However, some research has suggested that nearsightedness may also be caused by the stress of too much close work.
How common is nearsightedness?
Very common. Nearsightedness affects almost 1/3rd of the American population. It normally first occurs in school age children. Since the eye continues to grow during childhood, nearsightedness generally develops before individuals reach 20 years of age.
How is nearsightedness diagnosed?
Children that are nearsighted are usually easy to identify because they often squint or have trouble seeing the chalkboard, the movie screen, the television, or other objects in the distance. A comprehensive examination by a doctor of optometry will include testing for nearsightedness.
How is nearsightedness treated?
Eyeglasses or contact lenses can be prescribed to optically correct the nearsightedness and enable you to see clearly again. They alter the way the light images are focused in your eyes, but they do not permanently cure nearsightedness. You may only need them for certain activities like watching television, going to a movie, or driving a car.
A number of options to correct the shape of the front of the eye (cornea) to reduce nearsightedness have also been developed (i.e. Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT), laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK)). Your doctor of optometry can discuss these options with you and help you decide if you are a good candidate for these options.
How will nearsightedness affect my lifestyle?
Most individuals adapt well to wearing glasses or contact lenses. For those who feel glasses affect their image or interfere with their activities, contact lenses or refractive surgery may provide options to better meet their lifestyle and vision needs.
What is farsightedness?
Farsightedness, or hyperopia as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which objects far away are usually seen clearly, but objects at near are not.
Why does farsightedness occur?
There are a number of things that can potentially cause farsightedness, but two of the most common are when the front of the eye (the cornea) has too little curvature or when the eyeball is too short. Hereditary factors often control the growth and development of the eye. However, environmental factors may also contribute to the development of farsightedness.
How common is farsightedness?
Many people have some degree of farsightedness. The condition is only a problem if it significantly affects a person’s ability to see clearly and comfortably. It is estimated that over half of the people who wear glasses are wearing them due to farsightedness or presbyopia, a natural decrease in focusing ability.
What are the signs/symptoms of farsightedness?
Common signs are symptoms of farsightedness include difficulty in concentrating and maintaining a clear focus on near objects, blurred vision, eye strain, fatigue, and/or headaches after close work.
How is farsightedness diagnosed?
Farsightedness can be effectively diagnosed in a comprehensive optometric examination. Common vision screenings, often done in schools, are generally ineffective in detecting farsighted people. This is true because these individuals can identify the letters on an eye chart with little difficulty.
How does farsightedness affect vision?
If you are farsighted, you involuntarily exert extra effort to maintain clear distance vision and even greater effort to see clearly at close range. This extra effort can cause fatigue, tension, and discomfort. If the crystalline lens of the eye cannot bring the object being viewed into focus, blurred vision occurs.
How is farsightedness treated?
In mild cases, your eyes may be able to compensate adequately without the need for corrective lenses. In moderate or severe cases, your optometrist may recommend glasses or contact lenses. Surgical options for farsighted individuals have also improved in recent years. Your doctor of optometry can discuss these options with you and help you decide if you are a good candidate for surgery.
How will farsightedness affect my lifestyle?
Most individuals adapt well to wearing glasses or contact lenses. After that, farsightedness will probably not significantly affect your lifestyle.
What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a vision condition that occurs when the front surface of your eye, the cornea, is slightly irregular in shape. This irregular shape prevents light from focusing properly on the back of your eye, the retina. As a result, your vision may be blurred at all distances.
Why does astigmatism occur?
Usually, astigmatism is caused by the front of the eye (the cornea) being more oval than round and not allowing light to properly focus on the back of the eye (the retina). The causes of this irregular shape vary.
In some cases, it may be hereditary or it may result from factors like pressure of the eyelids on the cornea or an increased use of the eyes for close work.
How common is astigmatism?
Most people have some degree of astigmatism. However, only individuals with moderate to highly astigmatic eyes usually need glasses or contact lenses.
What are the signs/symptoms of astigmatism?
People with severe astigmatism will usually have blurred or distorted vision, while those with mild astigmatism may experience headaches, eye strain, fatigue or blurred vision at only certain distances.
How is astigmatism diagnosed?
A comprehensive eye examination by your doctor of optometry will include testing for astigmatism.
How is astigmatism treated?
Usually, astigmatism can be optically corrected with prescription glasses or contact lenses. Recent advances in surgical options have made refractive surgery (i.e. LASIK) a viable option for patients with low or moderate amounts of astigmatism. Your doctor of optometry can discuss your options with you and help you decide if you are a good candidate for surgery.
Does astigmatism get progressively worse?
Astigmatism may change slowly, quickly, or remain pretty constant. Regular optometric care can, however, help to ensure that proper vision is maintained.
How will astigmatism affect my lifestyle?
You might have to adjust to wearing glasses or contact lenses if you do not wear them now. Other than that, astigmatism probably will not significantly affect your lifestyle at all.
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus on close objects.
What causes Presbyopia?
Your eye stops growing in your early teens. The lens, however, continues to grow and produce more and more cells. This continued growth eventually causes the lens to harden and lose some of its elasticity and, therefore, some focusing ability.
At what age does Presbyopia occur?
Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-forties.
What are the signs/symptoms of presbyopia?
Some signs of presbyopia include the tendency to hold reading materials at arm’s length, blurred vision at normal reading distance and eye fatigue along with headaches when doing close work.
Can Presbyopia be prevented?
Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye. It is not a disease and it cannot be prevented.
How is Presbyopia diagnosed?
A comprehensive eye examination by a doctor of optometry will include testing your near vision. This will determine the extent, it any, of presbyopia.
How is Presbyopia treated?
To help you compensate for presbyopia, your optometrist can prescribe reading glasses, multifocal glasses, or contact lenses. Since presbyopia can complicate other common vision conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, your optometrist will determine the specific lenses to allow you to see clearly and comfortably for your daily visual needs.
Will I have to wear glasses all the time?
This will depend on a number of factors, including any other vision conditions you have. You may only need to wear your glasses for close work like reading, but you may find that wearing them all the time is more convenient and beneficial for your vision needs.
Can I still wear contact lenses?
Recent advances in lens materials and design have made it possible for doctors of optometry to correct many vision conditions including presbyopia. You and your optometrist can decide whether contact lenses are right for you.
Why are frequent glasses changes necessary after 40?
Since the effects of Presbyopia continue to change the ability of the crystalline lens to focus properly, periodic changes in your eyewear may be necessary to maintain clear and comfortable vision.
How will Presbyopia affect my lifestyle?
After adjusting to your new eyewear, you should find that you can still do all the things you did before. Presbyopia will probably not have a significant effect on your lifestyle at all. You should, however, continue to have comprehensive optometric examinations as recommended by your doctor of optometry.
What is lazy eye?
Lazy eye, or amblyopia as it is medically termed, is the loss or lack of development of central vision in one eye that is unrelated to any eye health problem and is not correctable with lenses.
What causes lazy eye?
It can result from a failure to use both eyes together. Lazy eye is often associated with crossed-eyes or a large difference in the degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness between the two eyes.
What are signs/symptoms of lazy eye?
Symptoms may include noticeably favoring one eye or a tendency to bump into objects on one side. Symptoms are not always obvious.
How is lazy eye treated?
Treatment for lazy eye may include a combination of prescription lenses, prisms, vision therapy and eye patching. Vision therapy teaches the two eyes how to work together, which helps prevent lazy eye from reoccurring. Lazy eye will not go away on its own. If not diagnosed until the pre-teen, teen or adult years, treatment takes longer and is often less effective.
How do I know if I or my child has lazy eye?
Early diagnosis increases the chance for a complete recovery. This is one reason why the American Optometric Association recommends that children have a comprehensive optometric examination by the age of six months and again at age three.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body is prevented from making or using the insulin necessary to break down sugar in the bloodstream.
How does diabetes affect the eye?
Diabetes and the complications of diabetes can affect many parts of the eye. It can cause changes in nearsightedness, farsightedness, premature presbyopia, cataracts, color deficiencies, decreased corneal sensitivity, double vision, glaucoma, and blindness.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there is a weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the retina of the eye. This results in blood leakage and can progress, if unmonitored/untreated, to the formation of new blood vessels, more extensive hemorrhaging, glaucoma, and even blindness.
Are there signs or symptoms I can watch for to know if I should have an eye exam?
If it sounds like a potentially serious problem, it is. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Regardless of whether they notice changes in their vision or not, people that have diabetes should have a dilated examination by their eye care professional at least once per year to rule out problems.
Some visual signs/symptoms of diabetes include fluctuating or blurry vision, occasional double vision, and loss of central and/or peripheral vision (see pictures below). But many of the early signs of retinopathy have no symptoms. Only detailed examination by your eye doctor can rule out the effects of diabetes.
Can vision loss from diabetes be prevented?
Yes. In a routine examination, your doctor of optometry can diagnose any potentially vision threatening changes in the eye that may be treated to prevent blindness. The best way to prevent vision loss from diabetes is to keep strict adherence to your primary care physician’s treatment regimen (i.e. compliance with any medications and recommendations regarding diet and exercise, follow-up visits) and to have yearly dilated examination by your eye care professional. If your eye doctor feels that you are higher risk for problems, they will recommend more frequent visits.
How are vision-threatening forms of diabetic retinopathy treated?
In the early stages of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, a small laser beam can be used to focus light on the retina and seal off leaking blood vessels or medication can be injected into the eye. In severe cases, more extensive surgery inside the eye may be necessary. Early detection of these problems is critical.
Are there risk factors for developing retinopathy?
Yes. Some of the factors that increase the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy include smoking, high blood pressure, drinking alcohol, and pregnancy.
I have never been told that I have diabetes or any other disease and I see really well. Should I still get my eyes checked?
Absolutely. Just because you can see clearly does not mean that your eyes are healthy. Your eye doctor has the ability to tell many things about the overall health of your body from examining the inside of your eyes. Many times, doctors of optometry are the first healthcare professionals to identify patients with diabetes and other diseases based on the health of their eyes.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a progressive disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve. Usually, the cause of the damage is increased pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma is second leading causes of blindness in the U.S. and the number one cause of blindness in African-Americans.
What causes glaucoma?
Glaucoma is caused by an incompatibility between the pressure within the eye and the optic nerve. During the course of a day, the eye produces a fluid called aqueous humor. This fluid is produced by an organ behind the iris (colored part of the eye) and travels through the pupil and into the corners of the cornea where it filters out through a drain. Aqueous humor bathes the internal parts of the eye with nutrients that they need to live and helps to remove waste products. In some individuals, the drain where the aqueous is supposed to flow out of the eye is too narrow. In others, the organ that produces the fluid produces it too fast. In other people, both of these things happen. The end result of each of these, however, is that the pressure inside the eye increases and compresses parts of the optic nerve. This compression results in damage and eventual death of the nerve cells responsible for sending the images we see to our brains.
Who gets glaucoma?
Glaucoma most often occurs in people over age 40, but can occur at any age. People with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans, and those who are very nearsighted or diabetic are at a higher risk of developing the disease.
Will I go blind from glaucoma?
If diagnosed at an early stage, glaucoma can be contained and little or no further vision loss should occur. If left untreated, peripheral vision and side awareness will gradually be destroyed and then progress to total blindness.
Can I do anything to prevent glaucoma?
At this point glaucoma cannot be prevented. However, recent studies suggest that people at higher risk for glaucoma can delay its onset with early treatment.
Will my vision be restored after being treated?
No. Any vision loss as a result of glaucoma is permanent and cannot be restored. Thus, early detection and treatment are critical. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends annual eye examinations for people at risk for glaucoma (your doctor may, depending on your condition, recommend more frequent examinations).
How can I tell if I have glaucoma?
The most common type of glaucoma develops gradually and painlessly, without symptoms. A rarer type occurs rapidly and its symptoms may include blurred vision, loss of side vision, seeing colored rings around lights and pain or redness in the eyes.
How is glaucoma detected?
A comprehensive examination will include a number of tests for glaucoma. A tonometry test (measures the pressure in your eyes), a detailed evaluation of the inside of your eyes and optic nerves, and a visual field test to check for changes in central and side vision are just a few of the tests.
How is glaucoma treated?
The treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medications or surgery to lower the pressure in your eyes.
I have never been told that I have glaucoma or any other eye disease and I see really well. Should I still get my eyes checked?
Absolutely. Early stages of glaucoma are undetectable to the patient. Since vision loss from the disease is permanent, early diagnosis and detection are critical to successful therapy. It is estimated that over 3 million people have glaucoma, but over one-half of those do not know that they have it.
Just because you can see clearly does not mean that your eyes are healthy. Your eye doctor has the ability to tell many things about the overall health of your body from examining the inside of your eyes. Many times, doctors of optometry are the first healthcare professionals to identify patients with systemic diseases based on the health of their eyes.
What is age-related macular degeneration?
AMD is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States. For people over age 65 it is the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness. At least 1 in 10 people over aged 65 suffer from AMD and as many as 1 in 4 in this age group exhibit early signs of the disease. Approximately 3.6 million Americans have AMD, and of those, 1.8 million experience serious visual impairment. The government estimates that by the year 2030, with the aging of the Baby Boomers, 6.3 million Americans could be functionally, if not totally blinded by this disease.
What causes age-related macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina’s central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.
What are the risk factors for getting macular degeneration?
- Smoking
- Age (Americans have a 2% chance of having macular degeneration during their 50’s, which increases to almost 20 percent for those age 75 and older)
- Gender (women appear to be at slightly higher risk)
- Family history
- High cholesterol
- Caucasians are much more likely to have macular degeneration than African Americans.
- There are also suggestions that visible and ultraviolet light, low consumption of fruits and vegetables and having light skin color and blue eyes may all be factors associated with increase risk.
Is there anything I can do to prevent age-related macular degeneration?
Doctors aren’t sure how to prevent macular degeneration. Research suggests that ultraviolet light (and possibly blue light) factors into the problem, so sunglasses could be very beneficial.
What you eat also affects your macula. Researchers think that antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E), zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and essential fatty acids all can aid in preventing macular degeneration. In fact, results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study suggest that individuals with intermediate or advanced AMD can slow the progression of AMD with appropriate vitamin supplementation.
Exercising and quitting smoking might also be helpful. Your doctor of optometry will work with you to help you decide the best ways to protect yourself from AMD.
What are the signs and symptoms of age-related macular degeneration?
Early signs include: straight lines appearing wavy, fuzzy vision and shadowy areas in your central vision. Your eye doctor may find indicators before you have any symptoms, so regular eye exams are critical to an early diagnosis.
Are there different types of macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration is classified as either dry or wet. The dry form is more common than the wet (about 90% of patients). It may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two.
In the wet form, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes retinal cells to die and creates blind spots in central vision. About 90% of the cases of legal blindness due to AMD is due to the “wet” form.
Is macular degeneration curable?
No, but results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study suggest that it is possible to slow the progression of the disease once it is diagnosed. Sometimes when a patient is diagnosed with the “wet” form of the disease, small laser beams or injected medication can be used to seal off the leaking blood vessels and slow or stop progression. The importance of regular, comprehensive eye examinations cannot be overemphasized.
How is age-related macular degeneration diagnosed?
A comprehensive examination by a doctor of optometry will include evaluation of the retina and the macular region where AMD is found. If your doctor feels that you have AMD, he/she might choose to schedule you for more regular visits (every six months) to follow you more closely.
Once I have been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration and it has started to degrade my vision, is there anything that can be done to help me see better?
Since macular degeneration does not affect side vision, low vision aids such as telescopes, magnifiers, illuminated magnifiers, and closed circuit television systems can be utilized to help make the most of the remaining vision.
I have never been told that I have age-related macular degeneration or any other eye disease and I see really well. Should I still get my eyes checked?
Absolutely. Early stages of AMD are undetectable to the patient. Since vision loss from the disease is permanent, early diagnosis and detection are critical to successful therapy. It is estimated that over 10 million people have AMD.
Just because you can see clearly does not mean that your eyes are healthy. Your eye doctor has the ability to tell many things about the overall health of your body from examining the inside of your eyes. Many times, doctors of optometry are the first healthcare professionals to identify patients with systemic diseases based on the health of their eyes.
What is a cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the normally clear lens within your eye, which results in blurred or distorted vision.
Who gets cataracts?
Cataracts are most often found in persons over age 55, but they are also occasionally found in younger people or people taking certain medications.
What causes cataracts?
No one knows exactly what causes cataracts, but it is known that a chemical change occurs within your eye to cause the lens to become cloudy. This may be due to advancing age, heredity, injury or disease. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, cigarette smoking or the use of certain medications are also risk factors for the development of cataracts.
What are the signs and symptoms of cataracts?
Although cataracts develop without pain or discomfort, there are some indications that a cataract may be forming. These include blurred or hazy vision, the appearance of spots in front of the eyes, increased sensitivity to glare or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. A temporary improvement in near vision may also indicate formation of a cataract.
Is there anything I can do to prevent cataracts?
Currently, there is no proven method to prevent cataracts from forming although protecting the eyes from UV light can slow their development. During a comprehensive eye examination, your optometrist can diagnose a cataract and monitor its development and prescribe changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses to maintain good vision..
Do I need to have my cataracts removed?
If your cataract develops to the point that it affects your daily activities, your optometrist can refer you to an eye surgeon who may recommend surgery. During the surgery, the eye’s natural lens is removed and usually replaced with a plastic artificial lens. After surgery, you can return to your optometrist for continuing care.
