Eye Care Information
Our Eye Care Information series provides you with the resources you need to stay informed about your total eye health.
Cataracts
Cataracts are a very common problem that cause blurred vision, decreased night vision, and washed-out colors. Cataracts occur when the lens within the eye starts to become cloudy. Generally this is a gradual process, but certain types can grow quickly.
The typical aging cataract usually starts to show up around age 60 and slowly progresses over many years. In some ways, cataract is a normal part of the aging process; not every cataract causes noticeable vision loss. One of the earliest symptoms is difficulty with night vision, with dimmer vision, and increasing glare. Later on they cause blurred vision and make colors appear duller. This can even progress to blindness in advanced cases. |
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Glaucoma
What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a leading cause of visual loss that occurs from damage to a type of nerve cell within the retina called the ganglion cell. This damage is visible on an eye exam as damage to the main nerve in the eye, the optic nerve. As glaucoma progresses, this nerve slowly dies and shrinks. This loss of nerve tissue is caused ‘cupping’ of the nerve. Every person has some cupping, but in glaucoma it slowly worsens with time.
It is not known why some people develop glaucoma. However known risk factors include: advancing age, African American race, family history, and elevated eye pressure. Another risk factor is below average thickness of the cornea, which is the clear front part of the eye. The only known method to treat glaucoma is to lower the eye pressure.
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Healthy Optic Nerve |
Cupped Optic Nerve |
Diabetes and the Eye
How does diabetes affect the eye? Diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss. Over time diabetes damages the blood vessels in the eye and can cause a variety of problems. Elevated blood sugars damage a type of cell called the pericyte that supports small blood vessels in the eye. With loss of these cells, the blood vessels become leaky. Fluid then leaks out, damaging the surrounding tissues. These small vessels can also become occluded, cutting off blood supply to the eye.
The retina is the thin layer covering the inside of the eye. It is the most important part of the eye that allows you to see, similar to the film in a camera. When blood vessels are damaged in the retina, several problems can occur. With fluid leakage, the retina can swell and cause blurred vision. If this persists, the retina can be permanently damaged.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a very common problem that causes dry eyes, redness, itching, watering, crusting of eyelashes, and irritation of the eyes. It is not known why some people develop this disorder, but it tends to be common in young children and in middle aged to older adults. While there is no ‘cure’ for blepharitis, there are many things that can be done to improve it.
Blepharitis is a disorder of the oil glands within the eyelids, called meibomian glands. These numerous oil glands are in the edge of the eyelids, next to the eyelashes. They secrete oil onto the surface of the eye, which serves an important role in a healthy tear film. This oil stabilized the tear film and keeps it from evaporating.With blepharitis, these oil glands have a tendency to get clogged up and inflamed. The oil becomes less liquid, and cannot express out of the gland as it should. This leaves the surface of the eye inflamed, irritated, and red.
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Floaters and Flashers
What are floaters? People often describe floaters as little dots or lines that appear in their vision. They can be black, gray, or nearly clear. They slowly drift across your vision, and move wherever you look. Looking at light colored backgrounds or at the blue sky makes them easier to see. These are caused by opacites within the central space of the eye, called the vitreous. Vitreous is the clear, gel like substance that fills the eye.
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Opacities in the vitreous can be caused by the normal aging process of the vitreous, called syneresis. This is due to the gradual loss of water content of the vitreous, which causes the normally clear vitreous to clump together. These clumps can partially block light, and cast a tiny shadow in the eye. You may see this shadow as a floater. Near sighted people tend to develop syneresis at an earlier age and often see a small number of floaters. |
