Blepharitis

Blepharitis is also known as dandruff of the eyelids. Seborrheic blepharitis causes eyelid redness and flaking and scaling of the eyelashes. The condition causes a greasy, waxy scale build up. Staph blepharitis also causes redness of the eyelids and flaking. Staph blepharitis may cause your eyelashes to fall out and can scar your eyelids.

Blepharitis comes in two types: seborrheic and staph. Seborrheic blepharitis usually occurs as part of an overall skin condition called seborrhea. Other areas affected by this condition include the scalp, chest, back and the area behind the ears. A more common form of blepharitis, staph blepharitis, begins in childhood and can continue into your adult years.

Causes

Hormones, nutrition, general physical condition, and your stress levels all can contribute to the severity of seborrheic blepharitis. Staph blepharitis occurs to due to the build-up of naturally occurring bacteria.

Symptoms

Blepharitis is also known as dandruff of the eyelids. Seborrheic blepharitis causes eyelid redness and flaking and scaling of the eyelashes. The condition causes a greasy, waxy scale build up. Staph blepharitis also causes redness of the eyelids and flaking. Staph blepharitis may cause your eyelashes to fall out and can scar your eyelids.

Treatment

You can ameliorate the symptoms of blepharitis by scrubbing your eyelids with baby shampoo or specially formulated cleansers and using artificial tears to relieve any discomfort. Applying warm compresses will help relieve the symptoms also. Staph blepharitis often requires antibiotics in the form of drops or ointment to cure the condition.
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Cataracts

Cataracts is a cloudiness that occurs in the lens of your eye. The lens is made mostly of water and protein. As we get older, the protein clumps together, blocking the light from entering your eyes, and making your vision cloudy.

Symptoms

Cataracts will cause colors to appear faded, cause poor night vision and light sensitivity such as halos or lights appearing brighter than normal.

Treatment

A doctor can detect cataracts during an eye exam. Microscopic examination of the inside of the eye will reveal the presence of the cataract. Cataracts form over time and if your vision becomes impaired surgery is recommended. Cataract removal requires out-patient surgery. A tiny incision is made, protein deposits removed, and the portion of the lens affected replaced with an intra-ocular lens implant (IOL).
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Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

Conjunctivitis or pink eye causes redness of the eye. Often conjunctivitis causes your eye to exude a clear, yellow, or white discharge. The eye may itch or fell like there is something in it.

Causes

Conjunctivitis is a viral infection, but bacteria, or allergic reactions can also cause conjunctivitis to develop. Pink eye, unless resulting from an allergic reaction, is highly contagious.

Prevention & Treatment

To avoid spreading conjunctivitis, wash your hands often. Do not touch the infected area with your hands. Do not share washcloths or towels with others. Also, avoid using makeup as it can become contaminated. A child with pink eye should be kept home from school until it clears up. Sometimes our eye doctors will need to prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointments to treat conjunctivitis.
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Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes can result in a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Elevated blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the eye, causing leaks and poor circulation. This, in turn, causes the retinal nerve layer to swell. New, very fragile, vessels will form to replace the damaged ones. Occasionally, these new vessels will burst and hemorrhage. You vision can become blurred, or you can even lose your sight.

Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:

• Blurred vision,
• Darkened vision, or
• Sudden loss of vision.

Risk Factors & Treatment

Anyone with diabetes must have an eye exam once a year. If diagnosed early, diabetic retinopathy can be effectively managed and treated.

Diabetic patients are at higher risks for other eye problems also. People with diabetes have higher rates of cataracts at younger ages, and have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
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Dry Eye Syndrome

Almost 10 million American suffer from dry eye syndrome. Lack of tears or poor quality tears causes dry eye syndrome. Tears lubricate the cornea and conjunctiva, the outer layers of the eye. Your tears need the proper balance of water, oil, and mucus to lubricate effectively. Lack of tears or tears without the proper balance allows the eyes to become irritated.

Symptoms

Symptoms of dry eye include itching, burning, excessive tearing, redness, blurred vision, and irritation. Your eyes will feel uncomfortable after a certain period while watching Television, reading, or working at the computer.

Risk Factors

The environment can exacerbate or cause dry eye syndrome. Environments that are bad for sufferers of dry eye include dry, hot, and windy climates, living at high altitudes, air conditioning, and cigarette smoke. Wearing contacts can also cause dry eyes. Dry eyes may develop as you age, go through menopause or if you are susceptible to dry skin conditions. Certain medications put you more at risk, such as medications taken for thyroid conditions, vitamin-A deficiency, and Parkinson’s disease.
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Glaucoma

Millions of Americans have glaucoma. Vision complications occur when fluid in the eye causes too much pressure, which stops the fluid from flowing and cleansing the eye. The intraocular pressure created by the fluid increases and damages the optic nerve, resulting in a gradual loss of peripheral vision.

Symptoms

Unfortunately, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms until it is in the advanced stages. Regular eye exams are critical to identifying the condition early. Patients with advanced glaucoma develop tunnel vision and can eventually go blind.

Risk Factors & Treatment

One of the biggest risk factors for glaucoma is genetic. People over 45, those of African descent, diabetics, and with extreme near-sightedness are at greater risk for glaucoma. If you have used steroids or cortisone for extended periods or have had an eye injury, your chances of developing glaucoma increase. Prescription eye drops or laser or other types of surgery are used to reduce the pressure on the optic nerve and prevent blindness or further deterioration of your vision.
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Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration disease affects the macula area of the retina. The macula is what allows us to focus on the fine details of whatever we view directly. Damaging the macula results in macular degeneration.
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“Wet” vs. “Dry”

Wet macular degeneration is what happens when abnormal blood vessels develop under the macula and leak fluid. Dry macular degeneration is much more common. Yellow deposits called drusen form under the macula, which dry or thin it out.

Causes

There are many factors associated with the cause of macular degeneration including gender, eye color, age, race, and farsightedness. Smoking, high blood pressure, over exposure to sunlight, and improper diet also increase your risk of developing macular degeneration.

Symptoms

Patients start to experience blurred vision in the early stages of dry macular degeneration. Sometimes your eyesight may become distorted, or a black spot appears in the center of your vision. Wet macular degeneration progresses much more rapidly than dry macular degeneration.

Treatment

Macular degeneration is treated by treating the causes. Controlling high blood pressure, stopping smoking, and nutritional therapy are some of the treatments for dry macular degeneration. For wet macular degeneration, medication injected into the back of the eye has often managed to stop the blood leakage and limiting retinal damage.
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Retinal Detachment

A detached retina occurs when the retina separates from the back wall of the eye. The retina collects light and transmits images to the optic nerve. Retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss or blindness if not treated immediately. .

Symptoms

You may experience a sudden problem with your vision if you have a detached retina. There may be a shadow or something that obscures your sight. “Floaters,” small particles or threads that appear to float around in your field of vision may suddenly appear. Flashes of light are another common symptom

Risk Factors

Most retinal detachments are spontaneous. However, an injury to the eye, tumors or cataract surgery can cause the retina to detach. The elderly and extremely nearsighted people are more susceptible to retinal detachment. Diabetics with diabetic retinopathy are also at greater risk.
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