Common Eye Conditions
Blepharitis (Inflammation of the eyelids)
Red, itchy eyelids. Treatment is warm water compresses and gentle scrubbing at
the base of your eyelashes twice a day. Takes about a month to notice much
improvement.
Cataract
Clouding of the lens of the eye. Causes painless, gradual worsening of vision.
Most find reading or driving at night are the first problems. When vision
prevents usual daily activities, surgery is needed. Surgery is done with local
anesthesia, in and out day surgery. Ultrasound (not laser) is used to remove the
lens. An implant is used to replace the lens that is removed. With surgery 98%
of patients get some improvement, less than 1% worse. Laser is used if the
vision clouds a second time.
Cataracts more likely to occur if a smoker, cataracts run in family, diabetes,
certain medications, eye injury, or person is older. No current evidence that
vitamins help to prevent them. Best to stop smoking and use sunglasses in bright
light.
Chalazion (or Stye)
Inflamed (not infected) oil gland that results in a red bump on the lid. Warm
compresses several times a day usually helps it go away. It can take weeks or
months. Surgery can be done for quicker improvement.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Usually takes years to develop. Two types—retinal swelling which reduces detail
vision, and bleeding from new, fragile blood vessels, which can reduce all
vision. Best way to prevent is to control blood sugars well. Also do not smoke.
Treatment is laser. Regular appointments needed.
Dry Eye
Very common. Eyes feel gritty or irritated. Vision blurs when reading, driving,
using computer or watching TV. Most common cause of tearing. Unfortunately, the
excess tears come too late to help much. Best treatment is to use artificial
tears regularly before symptoms are felt, or before activities which cause
blurry vision.
Floaters
Stuff floating in the gel (vitreous) that is in the middle of your eye. Very
common. No treatment needed. Sudden appearance of new floaters can be sign of
retinal detachment. See optometrist or ophthalmologist if new floaters, flashing
lights, loss of side vision, or overall vision blurred.
Glaucoma
Optic nerve damage that causes a loss of side (or peripheral) vision. If not
treated, center vision is lost. Most often caused by high eye pressure (normal
is 8 to 21). Vision loss is so slow it is difficult for a person to notice.
Treatment is medication (drops), laser, or surgery (to produce a drain to
relieve the pressure). Acute glaucoma is rare but pressure is very high.
Symptoms are halos around lights, significant pain, red eye, decreased vision,
and nausea. Get pressure checked!
Macular Degeneration
Problem that affects the center of the retina and decreases detail vision. Most
common reason for inability to read and drive over age 65 in this country.
Increases with increasing age. Two types—dry and wet. Dry is usually more mild
and more slowly progressive. Wet (due to fluid leaking from blood vessels) is
faster and usually results in worse vision. About 10-15% of people with dry
macular degeneration will develop wet. Watch for distorted vision—can use a grid
for this.
If wet macular degeneration is found to be treatable, then laser is used. Laser
doesn’t cure it, but usually slows it down. Many new treatments are being tested
right now, including injections, medications, and some surgery. Vitamins have
been shown to decrease the risk of getting wet macular degeneration in people
with a moderate amount of dry macular degeneration. Multivitamins (such as
Centrum Silver) may be as good as high dose vitamins. High dose did increase
kidney stones and can increase lung cancer in current smokers. Eating green
leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens can reduce macular
degeneration. Not clear if lutein alone will do the same. Stopping smoking is
the best thing you can do.
Ocular Migraine
Jagged, flashing lights (or blurred area) in both eyes that last from 10-60
minutes. Can be difficult to see if both eyes are affected unless you look
carefully. Can occur alone without any headache.
Retinal Detachment
Retina floats into the center of the eye. Caused by a hole in the retina.
Usually get flashing lights and floaters. Detached retina causes loss of vision
in one area of vision that gets worse over hours. Treatment is surgery, usually
within a couple days.
Retinal Vein or Artery Occlusion (Blockage)
Results in an area of vision loss in one eye. Can also be entire vision. Does
not get better. Get examined that day.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Looks like a spot of blood on the white of the eye. It’s a bruise of the eye
surface. No pain or any decreased vision. Will go away by itself in a few days
to two weeks.