Table of Contents:
- What are eye sight problems
- Macular degeneration
- Glaucoma
- Warning Signs
- What are the different types of cataracts
- Astigmatism
- Myopia
- Diagnosis, treatment, & treatment of eye-sight problems
- Do's & Dont's
Sight-Problems:
What are eye-sight problems?
“Eye-sight problems” is a collective term for a group of problems that impact the vision of an individual.
They are common in but not restricted to elderly people. The patient may experience a range of problems starting from unclear vision to a complete loss of vision. Many of these problems can be fixed by lenses or optical surgeries. But many of the eye-sight problems which are not diagnosed or treated on time may aggravate and lead to permanent blindness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that around 36 million people all over the world are blind and 253 million have poor vision. The statistics of WHO have also shown that India has the highest blind population in the world. Eye-sight problems of any degree can lead to a loss of performance and productivity in school-going children and the working professionals.
This article will discuss the different types of eye-sight problems, alongside their causes, types and symptoms.
Macular degeneration
Macular degeneration (MD) is the slow and painless breakdown of the eye’s macula. The macula is the central part of the retina and is predominantly made of cone cells which are the visual cells.
Degeneration of the macula occurs due to loss of visual cells, cone cells, and rods cells, and thus, causes blurry vision or eventual blindness. In some rare cases, blindness can be abrupt.
Since the macula degenerates with age, the disease is termed as Age-Related Macular Degeneration. If the disease is found to have a genetic linkage, it is known as Juvenile Macular Degeneration or Congenital Macular Degeneration. In the latter case, macular degeneration is an autosomal recessive eye disease.
What causes Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is precipitated by a number of catalyzing factors. These are listed below-
Age: The risk of being affected by AMD increases with age.Smoking: Smokers have to endure severe vision loss when compared to non-smokers.
Heredity: People with close relatives affected by AMD are likely to develop AMD with age.
Sunlight: Laboratory studies show that exposure to sunlight can affect the retinas.
Diet: Obesity, intake of artificial fats and high cholesterol can increase the risk of being diagnosed with AMD.
Race: AMD is largely observed in whites but it can affect other races as well.
Drugs: Certain drugs namely, Aralen and phenothiazine can cause macular degeneration.
Gender: Women are more likely to be affected by AMD.
Other general factors include-
Inheritance of a faulty gene (usually dominant) from one parentInheritance of a defective gene (usually recessive) from both parents
Death of macular cells
Abnormal growth and rupture of blood vessels within the macula
What are the signs and symptoms?
The common symptoms of macular degeneration are as follows-
Partial or complete loss of central visionPhotosensitivity (aversion to extremely bright light
What are the types of macular degeneration?
There are two main types-
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a type of eye disease that occurs due to damage and death of the optic nerve. In the majority of the cases, glaucoma results from an abnormal elevation in the intraocular pressure. Faulty drainage within the eye chambers also contributes to glaucoma in many patients. Serious cases of glaucoma lead to vision disturbance and blindness.
Causes of glaucoma:
What are the types of glaucoma?
Two primary types of glaucoma have been identified so far. These are-
Open-angle glaucoma:**Warning signs**
Partial or complete loss of peripheral vision
Cataract
Cataract is defined as a type of vision impairment characterized by the unusual blurriness of the eye lens causing gradual opacity of lenses and loss of clear vision.
The general causes of cataracts::
- Prolonged and unprotected exposure to Ultraviolet radiation
- Trauma due to past incidents of eye-infection or eye injury
- Certain drugs such as corticosteroids and diuretics
- After-effects of previous diseases like diabetes, eczema (skin disorder), uveitis (eye inflammation),
- high blood pressure, glaucoma (disease of the eye)
- Continuous exposure to toxic chemicals present in the environment
- Addictive habits like smoking and alcohol consumption
- Prolonged use of vitamin supplements (hypervitaminosis symptoms)
- Diet rich in fat and deficient in anti-oxidant vitamins
What are the main signs and symptoms of cataracts?
The warning signs of cataracts are as follows-
Impaired vision accompanied by cloudiness or fogginess
What are the different types of cataracts?
According to morphology, cataracts are of three types-
Nuclear Sclerotic CataractsAccording to etiology, cataracts are of four types-
Degenerative cataractAstigmatism::
Astigmatism is a refractive error in which an even distribution of light does not occur over the retina. It arises due to the imperfect curvature of the cornea. The disease is often attributed to genetic factors. It is characterized by an extreme blurry vision.
Main types Astigmatism
Based on the axis of the principal meridian, Astigmatism is of two types-
Regular astigmatism: The principal meridians are perpendicular. It has three subtypes-
With-the-rule astigmatismIrregular astigmatism: Here the principal meridians are not perpendicular. Based on the focus of the principal meridian, three types are identified-
Simple astigmatism: It is of two types- simple hyperopic astigmatism and simple myopic astigmatism.Myopia::
Myopia is defined as the refractive error of the eye where a person can see the nearby objects but not the ones located at a distance. The causes of myopia are usually presented as hypotheses-
Near-work hypothesis:What are the different types of Myopia?
Based on the etiology, Myopia is of the following types-
Axial Myopia:Diagnosis, treatment, & treatment of eye-sight problems:
Tonometry
Pachymetry
The tests for the refractive eye diseases include-
Keratometry testRetinoscopy
Distance chart
Phoropter
Refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia can be rectified with the help of eyeglasses, contact lens or surgery. Underlying conditions such as diabetes (diabetic neuropathy), sarcoidosis (ocular sarcoidosis), sickle cell disease etc. should be taken care of.
Retinal diseases can be treated by treatment options such as lasers, cryopexy (freezing), shrinking of abnormal blood vessels, injecting medicines into the eye, retinal implants etc. Strabismus and nystagmus can be treated by vision therapy which helps to make the eyes stronger. Based on the condition, surgery might also be considered as a treatment option.
Dry eyes can be treated by using artificial tears, placing computer screens below eye level (so that the eye is not open wide), taking breaks during work, blinking the eyes more often, preventing blowing air directly into the eye and other such measures. Cataracts that affect vision are usually treated by means of a surgery.
Prevention of eye problems is mainly by protecting it from external irritants such as harmful UV radiations, hot and dry air, allergens, chemicals, insects, dust etc.
A diet rich in vitamin A is advised to maintain the health of the eye. Regular eye checkups can also help in diagnosing the condition (if any) at an early stage and prevention of its progression.
Dos and Don'ts
- Take a balanced diet rich in vitamin A, C, and E. A diet with lots of fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato, kale, spinach, apricots, berries, papaya, mangoes, citrus fruits, flaxseeds etc.
- Get your eyesight checked regularly by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
- Reduce the strain on your eyes by measures such as using audiobooks, smart watches (talking watches), and books with a large print or by using bright lights in the house.
- Position your computer screen below eye level. This will prevent dryness in the eyes as the extent of opening the eye reduces in this case.
- Overuse your eyes. Activities such as working on computers, watching television, reading etc. should be avoided for a prolonged period without any breaks.
- Expose your eyes to the harsh sun rays. Protect them by wearing wraparound sunglasses or other protective eyewear. Excessive exposure might damage the retina causing macular degeneration cataract.
- Indulge in smoking. Smoking can worsen eye symptoms.