Eye Health
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is the most common vision problem, however most people don’t know what it is. It may accompany nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Dry Eye Syndrome
The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears that do not have the proper chemical composition.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a progressive disease, often appearing in the teens or early twenties, in which the cornea thins and changes shape. The cornea is normally a round or spherical shape, but with keratoconus the cornea bulges, distorts and assumes more of a cone shape.
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye.
Flashes and Floaters
Flashes and floaters are symptoms experienced by many people. Flashes are experienced as a lighting streak, originating within the eye, in the field of vision.
Age related macular degeneration
Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in the world. In ARMD, the macular breaks down the light sensitive part of the retina, which is responsible for vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy
If you have diabetes, you probably know that your body can’t use or store sugar properly. When your blood sugar gets too high, it can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. This damage may lead to diabetic retinopathy.
Glaucoma
Screening tests are important to detect glaucoma before there is significant loss of vision. An optometrist can do these during a sight test. Ideally, everyone over 40 should have their eyes checked for glaucoma every two years.
Myopia
Myopia is commonly known as short-sightedness. It means that the eye is unable to focus on distant objects, making them seem blurred. Most forms of myopia are considered a variation from normal vision, rather than a medical condition.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is an infection of the conjunctiva (the outer-most layer of the eye that covers the sclera). The three most common types of conjunctivitis are: viral, allergic, and bacterial.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a common vision problem, affecting about 25% of the population. People with hyperopia can see distant objects very well, but have difficulty seeing objects that are up close.
Presbyopia
When people develop presbyopia, they find they need to hold books, magazines, newspapers, menus and other reading materials at arm’s length in order to focus properly.