According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 4.2 million people in the US between 40 years and above have either low vision or are legally blind. The main triggers of blindness include diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract, muscular degeneration, injuries, and infections. Earlier diagnosis of eye problems by Dr. Iftikhar Chaudhry Hamilton can help prevent some severe eye disorders.
Below are the symptoms and leading causes of eye problems and what’s the best treatment option.
Symptoms of eye problems
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Pain or redness in one or both eyes
- Sudden, severe headache with blurred vision that does not get better with pain medication
- Double vision or seeing a curtain over one eye
- Sudden vision changes that don’t improve after a few days
- Eye pain or discomfort
- Blurred vision (especially when looking up)
- Headache
What are the causes of eye problems
Eye strain
Eye strain is the most common eye problem worldwide, with many causes. It can be caused by staring at a computer monitor for too long, looking at a bright light source for too long, or even simply straining your eyes in general. Eye strain can cause temporary vision problems such as double vision, blurry vision, pain behind your eyes, or headache.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
AMD affects the center of your retina (macula), causing blurry vision in the center of your field of view. It’s more common as you age, making reading or driving difficult at night. It usually progresses slowly but may get worse quickly if you don’t have regular eye tests with an optometrist or ophthalmologist
Refractive errors
Refractive errors are common vision problems that occur when the shape of your eye prevents light from correctly focusing on your retina. This results in blurry vision at all distances and can be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Convergence insufficiency (CI)
This is a focusing problem that makes it hard for your child to keep their eyes focused together while reading or looking at something up close. Your doctor can prescribe exercises to strengthen this muscle so your child can focus on things more easily.
What is the best treatment for eye problems?
Laser treatment: Laser treatment can treat age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people. As well as being used to treat glaucoma, lasers can also be used to treat retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy. Laser surgery is not suitable for everyone, and there is a risk of complications such as bleeding or infection.
Cataract surgery: Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens from the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens implant. This procedure can occur with local or general anesthetic and does not require stitches afterward.
Refractive surgery: Refractive surgery uses lasers to change the shape of the cornea (the transparent front part of your eye) so that light rays bend properly onto the retina at all distances instead of becoming blurry when you look at faraway objects
If you are concerned about your vision, make an appointment with IC Laser Eye Care specialists.
