Know Your Visual Condition

Yes, Indeed! Here is where you get to learn a little bit about some of the more common problems that affect vision. After you have reviewed the more common problems, it will be time to see what condition your visual condition is really in.

Ready, Set, Go !

Far-Sightedness (Hyperopia)
Hyperopia, also called farsightedness, is a condition where it takes more effort to see clearly at near than at distance. A hyperopic person may or may not see clearly at distance and near, usually dependent on age. The older the individual, the more trouble he/she will have. Unless an individual is examined professionally, they may never know they have the condition. Symptoms of hyperopia include headaches, eye fatigue, and a loss of productivity both at work and school.

Astigmatism
Astigmatism implies that both your near and distance vision are out of focus. Items at any distance could be blurred, especially when there is significant astigmatism present. Symptoms of astigmatism include blur as well as headaches and fatigue.

Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a condition that starts in your late thirties and progresses with age. Presbyopia causes your near vision to become blurry when you're seeing clearly at distance. It implies that you need a different prescription for near than for far.

Binocularity
Binocularity describes how one's eyes team together. There are two systems that we use in seeing clearly. One is the aiming system that tells us how far away the object is and allows us to see it as single. The second system is the focusing system that controls how clearly we see the object. If a person has trouble coordinating these two systems together, a host of symptoms may occur. They are described in other parts of the website pertaining to computers and vision or children's vision.

Dry eye
Dry eye is a condition where the tears of the eye are not adequately lubricating the eye. It is important to find the reason for it. It could be as simple as an individual not blinking enough or being in extreme heat. Certain medical conditions can also lead to dry eye. Interestingly enough, symptoms of dry eyes could include excessive tearing.

Red eye
Red eye is a broad, general term indicating basically that the eyes have a red tinge to them. Unfortunately, the redness could be due a number of conditions including allergies, dry eyes, bacterial infections or even sight threatening conditions.

Glaucoma
Generally thought of as a condition where an increase of pressure within the eye causes a slow loss of one's vision without the individual realizing it. This is due to the destruction of parts of the optic nerve. It's important to realize that even though you have normal eye pressure, you still may have glaucoma. A measure of one's pressure by itself doesn't indicate whether they have glaucoma or not. One's pressure within the eye does vary during the course of the day. Complete examination of the inside part of the eye as well as measuring one's peripheral vision is also necessary to help diagnose the condition. Most times, glaucoma presents without pain.

Cataracts
A cataract is generally a clouding of the clear lens of the eye. It generally (but not always) leads to a loss of clarity at all distances. Although age is the primary cause for cataracts, certain medical conditions, medications, or even environmental agents (especially sunlight) are attributable.

Macular degeneration
Macular degeneration is a condition where the central part of the back of the eye (the retina) which is responsible for one's central vision (as opposed to side-vision) degenerates. In its milder forms, the individual won't notice any change. In its most severe form, the individual will notice a "hole" in the center of everything they're looking at. Again, the chances of developing macular degeneration increase with age. Exposure to ultraviolet light over one's lifetime does increase your chance of developing macular degeneration. It has been shown in the literature that antioxidants and lutein may help increase one's ability to lessen the chance of developing the disease or keep it from progressing. Spinach and kale are good sources of lutein.

Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition affecting the retina, a thin membrane in the back of the eye where all light focuses. The severity of the condition varies widely. In its early stages diabetic retinopathy, patients might not even notice they have any problem. Small hemorrhages might occur that need to be periodically observed by the eye care professional. In more severe cases severe hemorrhaging may occur as well as proliferation of new blood vessels. This could result in a significant loss of vision. In certain cases, laser treatment is paramount in helping to prevent blindness. Diabetics should be monitored carefully. In addition to problems with the retina, changes in prescription as well as cataract formation are quite common.