Eye floaters are extremely common and are sometimes associated with flashing lights in the eye, especially when they first appear. When they first appear, they normally affect one eye, but may affect both eyes at the same time.
Driving is an essential part of many of our lives, providing us with independence and convenience. However, it also comes with a large amount of responsibility, part of which is ensuring our eyesight meets the legal driving standards.
Our eyes are built to be well protected from mechanical injury by their bony orbits. They naturally fight off infection through anti-microbial properties in our tear film. Our lids, lashes and blink relex are designed to provide protection from foreign bodies. Unfortunately, injuries do still occur and there are a group of conditions which are classified as sight threatening.
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the commonest cause of vision loss in people aged over 50 years old. The prevalence (number of new cases each year) increases with age. It is caused by degeneration of the macula, the central and most sensitive part of the retina at the back of the eye.
Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. Follow these simple steps for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.
In short, the definition of Myopia (short sightedness) is where the eye is longer than normal or the cornea is too steep, meaning that light rays focus in front of the retina.
In short, the definition of Hypermetropia (long sightedness) is where the eye is shorter than normal or the cornea is too flat, meaning that light rays focus behind the retina. Light rays from close objects such as pages of a book cannot be focused on clearly by the retina.
When we are young, the lens in the eye can change its shape allowing us to focus on near objects. After the age of 40, the lens becomes noticeably more rigid and reading at close range becomes increasingly difficult. This condition is defined as presbyopia and is a normal part of ageing.
Glaucoma is a common eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. It's usually caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma can lead to loss of vision if it's not diagnosed and treated early. It can affect people of all ages, but is most common in adults in their 70s and 80s.
Approximately 3% of the population is affected by diabetes. Increases in the blood glucose concentration (hyperglycaemia) occur when there is a lack of naturally produced insulin in the body.
Cataracts are extremely common. In fact, the majority of those over 65 have some cataract development. If you have been told you have cataracts, DO NOT be alarmed.
Retinitis Pigmentosa is a hereditary disease where a specific gene defect causes the cells in the Retina of the eye to misfire.
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Blepharitis refers to inflammation of the eyelid margins. There are two broad categories of the condition - Anterior Blepharitis and Posterior Blepharitis.
Keratoconus is a degenerative non-inflammatory disorder of the cornea (the front window of the eye) and generally affects both eyes. The underlying problem is weakness of the supporting collagen fibres in the cornea. This makes the cornea structurally and bio-mechanically "weak". As a result, the cornea assumes a more conical shape with resultant irregular astigmatism.
Dyslexia, also known as alexia or developmental reading disorder, is characterized by difficulties learning to read and differing comprehension of language despite normal or above-average intelligence. This includes difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, language skills and verbal comprehension.