Common Eye Disorder

Common Eye Conditions

Many eye conditions develop slowly and the symptoms may be difficult for you to detect in the early stages. Some symptoms are common among both natural vision problems and dangerous eye diseases. An annual visit to your Ophthalmologist can detect eye diseases and conditions that that can cause irreversible damage to your eyes if allowed to progress without treatment.

For more information about eye disease and conditions visit the eye health information web site of the American Academy of Ophthalmology at American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Astigmatism

Symptoms

Blurring or distortion of images at all distances
Headache
Fatigue
Squinting
Eye discomfort or irritation
Difficulty seeing at night
Trouble distinguishing between similar letters and numbers like P and F or B and 8

Astigmatism is an uneven or irregularly shaped cornea or lens. This irregular shape causes light to bend and distort as it passes through the lens, making objects appear blurry or unfocused. Astigmatism is most often hereditary and is common in people of all ages, however, it can also be a result of surgery or trauma, injury, infection, or certain rare conditions that cause the shape of the cornea to change over time. People who are nearsighted or farsighted have a good chance of also having some level of astigmatism.

Dry Eye Treatment

Symptoms

Eye dryness
Eye irritation
Scratchy eyes
Burning or stinging eyes
Gritty eyes
Tired eyes
Fluctuating or blurry vision
Excessive tearing

Dry Eye is a condition caused by changes in the quantity or quality of your tears. Tears are composed of three main layers that work together to keep your eyes comfortable and protected. If these layers become imbalanced, your tears will evaporate too quickly, causing your eyes to feel dry and irritated.

Other diseases and conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes, as well as common medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, can cause dry eye by reducing tear secretion, so be sure to discuss your medical history with your Ophthalmologist.

Hyperopia

Far-sightedness

Symptoms

blurry vision when looking at near objects
headaches when reading
squinting
eye strain or burning

Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is the eyes’ inability to focus clearly on nearby objects. People who are farsighted often see distant objects clearly, while objects nearby most often appear blurry.

Hyperopia is a common naturally occurring eye disorder that cannot be prevented. Farsightedness tends to run in families, but you don’t need to have a hyperopic parent to develop it.

With normal vision, an image is sharply focused onto the retina at the back of your eye. When you are farsighted, the point of focus falls beyond the retina, allowing you to see distant objects clearly, but objects that are near will appear blurred. For very farsighted individuals, vision can be blurry for objects at any distance, near or far.

Myopia

Near-sightedness

Symptoms

blurry vision when looking at distant objects
squinting
headaches due to eyestrain

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the eyes’ inability to focus on far-away objects. People who are nearsighted will usually see objects close to them clearly, while objects further away appear blurry.

Myopia is a common naturally occurring eye disorder that cannot be prevented. Nearsightedness tends to run in families, but you don’t need to have a myopic parent to develop it. Myopia begins at an early age and worsens in the teenage years, but generally stabilizes in adulthood.

With normal vision, an image is sharply focused onto the retina at the back of your eye. When you are nearsighted, or myopic, the point of focus falls short of the retina, allowing you to see near objects more clearly, but distant objects will appear blurred.

Peck Opticians

Simple Tips for Healthy Eyes

Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. Follow these simple steps for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam

You might think your vision is fine or that your eyes are healthy, but visiting your eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. When it comes to common vision problems, some people don’t realize they could see better with glasses or contact lenses. In addition, many common eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration often have no warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect these diseases in their early stages. During a comprehensive dilated eye exam, your eye care professional places drops in your eyes to dilate, or widen, the pupil to allow more light to enter the eye the same way an open door lets more light into a dark room. This enables your eye care professional to get a good look at the back of the eyes and examine them for any signs of damage or disease. Your eye care professional is the only one who can determine if your eyes are healthy and if you’re seeing your best.

Know your family’s eye health history

Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with a disease or condition since many are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.

Eat right to protect your sight

You’ve heard carrots are good for your eyes. But eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens is important for keeping your eyes healthy, too. iResearch has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you are having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor.

Quit smoking or never start

Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.

Be cool and wear your shades

Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

Give your eyes a rest

If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain.

Clean your hands and your contact lenses properly

To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.

Practice workplace eye safety

Employers are required to provide a safe work environment. When protective eyewear is required as a part of your job, make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times and encourage your coworkers to do the same.

Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. The relationship of dietary carotenoid with vitamin A, E, and C intake with age-related macular degeneration in a case-control study. Archives of Ophthalmology; 2007; 125(9): 12251232.
Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. Risk factors associated with age-related nuclear and cortical cataract. Ophthalmology; 2001; 108(8): 14001408.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General (Washington, D.C., 2004).

Common Vision Conditions*

The most common vision problems are refractive errors, more commonly known as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia. Refractive errors occur when the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina. The length of the eyeball (either longer or shorter), changes in the shape of the cornea, or aging of the lens can cause refractive errors. Most people have one or more of these conditions.