Pathologies
Dry eye disease
Dry eye is a condition where your eyes don’t produce enough tears or the right kind of tears to keep your eyes moist. It can happen because of age, environmental factors, or certain medications.
Common Symptoms:
● A feeling of dryness or grittiness in the eyes
● Red, irritated, or itchy eyes
● Watery eyes (due to irritation)
● Blurry vision that improves with blinking
● Sensitivity to wind or smoke
If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to see an eye care professional. Dry eye can often be managed with eye drops, lifestyle changes, or other treatments to help keep your eyes comfortable.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) becomes thin and starts to bulge outwards into a cone shape. This can cause your vision to become blurry or distorted. It usually starts in your teenage years and can affect both eyes.
Common Symptoms:
● Blurry or distorted vision
● Increased sensitivity to light and glare
● Difficulty seeing clearly at night
● Frequent changes in prescription glasses or contact lenses
● Double vision in one eye
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit an eye care professional
for proper diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, keratoconus can be managed with
special contact lenses or surgery.
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside your eye, which can make your vision blurry or dim. It’s like looking through a foggy window. Cataracts develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes.
Common Symptoms:
● Blurry or cloudy vision
● Difficulty seeing at night or in low light
● Sensitivity to bright lights or glare
● Fading or yellowing of colors
● Double vision in one eye
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to see an eye care professional.
Cataracts can often be treated with surgery to restore clear vision.
Squint (misalignment of eyes)
Squint, also known as strabismus, is a condition where the eyes are not aligned properly and point in different directions. One eye may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward, while the other eye focuses straight ahead. This can affect vision and depth perception.
Common Symptoms:
● Eyes that don’t look in the same direction
● Double vision
● Difficulty with depth perception (judging distances)
● One eye may appear to drift or turn
● Frequent tilting of the head to focus
Squint can develop in children or adults and can sometimes be treated with glasses, eye exercises, or surgery to realign the eyes. Early detection and treatment are important to prevent long-term vision problems.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition that damages the optic nerve in your eye, usually due to high eye pressure. This can lead to complete vision loss if not treated. It often develops slowly, and you might not notice any changes in your vision until it’s more advanced.
Common Symptoms:
● In the early stages, there may be no symptoms.
● Gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision
● Blurry or hazy vision
● Eye pain, headache, or nausea (in some cases)
● Seeing rainbow-colored rings around lights
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to see an eye care professional as
soon as possible. Glaucoma can be controlled with medication, laser treatment, or
surgery, but early detection is key to preventing further damage
ARMD
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is a condition that affects the macula, the part of the eye responsible for sharp, central vision. It commonly occurs in people over 50 and can make it difficult to see fine details, like reading or recognizing faces.
Common Symptoms:
● Blurry or dimmed central vision
● Difficulty seeing fine details, especially when reading or driving
● Distorted vision (straight lines may appear wavy)
● Dark or empty spots in the center of your vision
● Reduced color perception
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to see an eye care professional.
While ARMD can’t be cured, treatments can help slow its progression and manage
symptoms, especially if detected early
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the blood vessels in the retina (the back part of your eye) due to high blood sugar levels from diabetes. Over time, these blood vessels can leak, swell, or become blocked, which can harm your vision.
Common Symptoms:
● Blurry or fluctuating vision
● Dark spots or floaters in your vision
● Difficulty seeing at night
● In severe cases, sudden vision loss
If you have diabetes and notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit an eye care professional regularly. Early detection and treatment can help prevent serious vision problems. Managing your blood sugar levels and having regular eye exams are key in preventing diabetic retinopathy.
Hypertensive retinopathy
Hypertensive retinopathy is a condition where high blood pressure damages the blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that helps you see. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to changes in the eye’s blood vessels, affecting your vision.
Common Symptoms:
● Blurry or hazy vision
● Seeing spots or floaters
● Sudden vision loss (in severe cases)
● Difficulty seeing clearly in bright or low light
Often, there are no early symptoms, so it’s important to have regular eye exams if you
have high blood pressure. Treating and controlling your blood pressure can help prevent
or slow the progression of hypertensive retinopathy and protect your vision.
