Caring for our eyes goes beyond visiting our eye doctor for an updated vision prescription.
Like other parts of our body, our eyes are susceptible to developing conditions and diseases that can negatively affect our vision and eye health.
Eye diseases aren’t limited to older adults. In fact, they can arise at any age. Unfortunately, some of these conditions can cause gradual vision loss, often without noticeable symptoms until significant damage has already occurred.
Some eye diseases that can be detected during a routine eye exam include:
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Cataracts
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Dry eyes
- Glaucoma
Depending on the severity of symptoms, most of these eye conditions can be managed through lifestyle changes, advanced therapies, or surgical treatments that aim to preserve vision and eye health.
Being consistent with scheduling a routine eye exams is a necessary part of staying vigilant about your eye health. These visits play a significant role in preventative vision care.
5 Common Eye Diseases & How They Are Treated
Our eyes are one of the ways we experience our surroundings, but they’re not immune to health challenges.
Eye diseases affect millions globally. Fortunately, advancements in medical care offer effective ways to manage–and even treat–some of these conditions.
Becoming familiar with common eye diseases, their symptoms, and treatment options empowers you to take control of your eye health and visit your eye doctor when you have vision concerns.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
This eye condition affects the macula—a structure responsible for central vision—and causes blurry or distorted eyesight. AMD can make everyday tasks like reading, driving, or working on the computer more difficult.
While age-related macular degeneration (AMD) primarily affects those over the age of 60, it’s not exclusive to older populations. Young people can also develop a condition known as early-onset macular degeneration, although it’s far less common.
Early signs of AMD include:
- Blurry central vision
- Difficulty reading
- Distorted vision, where straight lines appear wavey
Currently, there’s no cure for AMD, but lifestyle changes (like a diet rich in omega-3s and leafy greens), anti-VEGF injections, and specialized vision aids can slow its progression.
Without proper management, AMD can progress unchecked, leading to severe central vision loss. This means difficulty with fundamental tasks like recognizing faces or discerning fine details in your environment.
Fortunately, proactive management makes it possible to maintain functional vision for longer.
Cataracts
A cataract occurs when the eye’s lens becomes cloudy, leading to blurry or hazy vision, sensitivity to light, and difficulty seeing at night. Cataracts often develop as a natural part of aging, but they can also be linked to prolonged UV exposure or underlying health conditions like diabetes.
The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery, where the cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial one. Fortunately, this process is common, quick, and safe, successfully restoring vision for thousands of Canadians annually.
Leaving a cataract unrated can have profound effects on your quality of life.
As the clouding of the lens continues to worsen, colours appear dull, and vision worsens because of increased light glare, making daily activities more challenging. Plus, untreated cataracts can increase the risk of injuries caused by falls or accidents, particularly in older adults.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes that affects the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
When blood sugar levels remain high over time, this can damage tiny blood vessels in the eye, causing them to swell, leak, or even close off entirely.
Like other eye conditions, diabetic retinopathy develops gradually and may go unnoticed in its early stages. Some common symptoms include:
- Blurry or distorted vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Dark spots or empty areas in vision
- Colours appearing faded or washed out
- Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes
Managing diabetes through blood sugar control is key. Additional treatments include laser therapy, anti-VEGF injections, or surgery for advanced cases.
Leaving this condition unmanaged can lead to serious complications including retinal detachment or vision loss.
Dry Eyes
Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly from the eye’s surface because of an imbalance in the tear film.
Symptoms of dry eye can range from mild to severe but dryness is more serious than you may expect. The persistent irritation and gritty feeling in the eyes can make everyday tasks more challenging, negatively affecting your quality of life.
Leaving this condition untreated can lead to inflammation and pain. In rare cases, long-term untreated dry eye may result in damage to the surface of the eye.
Fortunately, dry eyes can be managed by relieving symptoms through at-home remedies or targeting the root cause of dryness with therapies such as punctal plugs.
A dry eye consultation allows our team to determine the severity of dryness and health of the tear film to develop a treatment plan tailored to your ocular situation.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is often referred to as “the silent thief of sight” because it develops gradually without symptoms in its early stage. Glaucoma usually involves increased eye pressure, which damages the optic nerve over time.
Although there’s no cure for glaucoma, it can be managed using prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatments, or surgery to help preserve vision. Without proper intervention, glaucoma can lead to irreversible damage, including vision loss.
How Eye Exams Help Identify Eye Diseases
Your eyes can tell a lot about your overall health.
A common theme in the aforementioned eye conditions is that changes to your vision and eye health often happen gradually, making them hard to notice on your own.
Comprehensive eye exams can detect diseases at their earlier stages, making management strategies more effective. If you’ve already been diagnosed with an eye condition, routine visits allow your doctor to monitor its progression. Connect with our Orchard Park Optometry team to schedule your routine eye exam appointment.
