People are rightly concerned about the health of their eyes. It’s a good practice to get a Dallas eye exam once a year to protect the long-term health of your eyes, as well as maintain the best vision as contacts and glasses prescriptions can change frequently as you age. Also, a good optician or ophthalmologist can detect diseases of the eye before they become serious and more difficult to treat. Here are the five most common eye diseases:
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the lining and membrane of the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can be chronic or acute. In either case, the eyelids itch and burn, or feel dry and heavy. The disease is contagious, so the patient should make sure that their hands, towels, doorknobs or other things that they handle are thoroughly washed. Fortunately, conjunctivitis is fairly easy to treat and detectable by a Dallas optical specialist.
Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, which is supposed to be clear. The condition is painless, but causes vision to be blurred. Cataract is a well known consequence of aging, but it can also be caused by eye injuries and diseases. Cataracts are easily removed through surgery. The defective natural lens is replaced with a Dallas optical prosthetic, specifically an intraocular lens, which can actually be implanted inside of the eye during cataract surgery.
Macular Degeneration
This condition can also a consequence of aging or genetic predisposition. The macula is part of the retina, in the back of the eye. If the macula is damaged, images can become blurry exactly in the center. This can make reading or other kinds of close work difficult without the help of Dallas optical aids.
The most common type of macular degeneration is involutional, which is related to aging. The macula breaks down or thins out. Exudative macular degeneration happens when the blood vessels in the back of the eye break, leak and cause scar tissue. A Dallas eye exam can catch a case of macular degeneration in its early stages.
Entropion
Entropion is when the inner edge of the eyelid and eyelashes curl into the eye. This can cause an irritation of the cornea, with congestion, pain and tearing. The eye can become overly sensitive to light and can become ulcerated. If entropion isn’t corrected, it can permanently impair vision. Entropion can be caused by an eye injury, burns, or can be a complication of an eye operation.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, and once again a Dallas eye exam can detect it in its early stages. In glaucoma, the pressure from the eye’s own aqueous humor builds up in the eye, which can destroy the optical nerve and lead to blindness.
A healthy eye can drain away the aqueous humor, but the drains can shrink with age and become clogged by deposits. This is called chronic open-angle glaucoma. Glaucoma can also be congenital, in that the person is born with an impaired drainage system. The drainage system can also be blocked by the iris, or it can be damaged by hemorrhaging, tumors or inflammation.
If you are experiencing vision problems or eye discomfort, contact Carter Eye Center today to schedule an eye exam.
