When do I see an Ophthalmologist?
Even if you have not experienced eye problems in the past, you should see an ophthalmologist if:
- you experience a change in vision in one or both eyes, such as blurring, double vision, blind spots, flashing lights or floaters
- your eyes experience pain, persistent irritation, itching, discharge or the sensation of a foreign body
- you have had recurrent conjunctivitis, or red eyes
- you experience problems with too many or too few tears
- you are currently taking steroids orally for any other condition
- you have a growth on the eyelid or the eyelid is incorrectly positioned.
- you are diabetic
What is Cataract?
Normally, the lens of the eye is clear and allows light rays to pass through easily. When a cataract develops, the lens becomes cloudy and opaque. The light rays no longer pass through the lens easily, so the patient cannot see clearly.
Cataract is not a new growth or a film over the eye. In most cases, it is just part of the aging process.
It is not contagious
Symptoms of Cataract
Cataract formation is not associated with "signals" such as pain, redness or tearing.
The common symptoms are:
(i)Blurring or dimness of vision
Treatment
Cataract cannot be cured by medicines or spectacles. Removal of the clouded lens through surgery is the only treatment.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition wherein the pressure of fluid within the eye (hydrostatic pressures within the eye) gradually increases to a level not tolerated by the sensitive tissues of the eye. The optic nerve, which is similar to a cable wire carrying visual images to the brain, is the portion of the eye susceptible to damage from glaucoma. Such damage is irreparable and visual loss due to glaucoma is irreversible.
Early Glaucoma is hardly noticeable without propertreatment, it will advance and eventually... ...result in total loss of vision
How does diabetes affect the eye?
Diabetes causes weakening of the blood vessels in the body. The tiny, delicate retinal blood vessels are particularly susceptible. This deterioration of retinal blood vessels, accompanied by structural changes in the retina, is termed diabetic retinopathy and will lead to loss of vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is gradual in onset and is related to the duration of diabetes. High blood glucose levels, high blood pressure and genetics influence the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy
There are two main stages of diabetic retinopathy:
Non-proliferative: When the blood vessels leak, macular edema may occur, thereby reducing vision.
Proliferative: When new, weak blood vessels grow or proliferate, bleeding into the vitreous may occur and cause severe visual loss.
Eye examination in diabetic retinopathy Every diabetic is a potential candidate for diabetic retinopathy. There are no symptoms at the initial stages. Periodic eye examination with dilated pupils is the only way to detect early disease and prevent further deterioration of vision.
Diagnosis
Diagnostic tools such as a slit lamp, ultrasound and procedures such as fluorescein angiography are used in addition to an ophthalmoscope to assess whether the patient has diabetic retinopathy or other eye problems.
What are refractive errors?
In normal vision, light rays from an object focus on the retina (emmetropia). Alternatively, in the presence of a refractive error, the light rays get focused in front or behind the retina causing blurred vision. Under normal conditions, as the eye ball grows in size from infancy to adulthood, there will be a corresponding change in curvature of cornea and the lens enabling the eye to remain emmetropic, at all ages.
What is Squint?
Squint is misalignment of the eyes such that the right and left eyes are pointed in different directions. Though it is a common condition among younger populations, affecting 2 to 4 percent of children, it may also appear later in life.
The misalignment may be permanent or it may be temporary, occurring occasionally. The deviation may be in any direction: inward, outward, upward or downward.
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