1. Conjunctivitis, AKA The Five-Syllable Nuisance
The transparent membranes that line the eyelids are called the conjunctiva. When they and the whites of eyes become inflamed, it usually indicates conjunctivitis, or pinkeye. Small blood vessels in the eye become enlarged from the inflammation, giving the condition its characteristic red and raw-looking appearance. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious -- wash hands often and don't share towels with anyone to diminish the chance of spreading it. Conjunctivitis sufferers may be contagious for up to two weeks. What causes conjunctivitis? As it turns out, quite a few things, including bacteria, allergies, viruses, chemical irritation and foreign objects. Wearing contact lenses makes a bout with it more likely. One cheering fact: The ooze party tends to be self-limiting. Even without treatment, conjunctivitis generally clears up on its own within two weeks. However, if it accompanies pain, sensitivity to light or blurred vision, urgent care may be needed.
Below are some common symptoms:
• Pain: A gritty, stinging or burning sensation occurs often.
• Dastardly Discharge: A crust often forms over the affected eye overnight and seals the eye shut. Gritty, stinging, burning sensations can occur with conjunctivitis. Yes, the ick factor is a bit high here. Bacterial infections characteristically cause thicker, yellowish-green secretions while the discharge from a viral infection tends to be more watery.
• Itchiness And Tearing: Applying warm, wet compresses with a clean, lint-free cloth and applying artificial tears will help reduce if not alleviate symptoms until a doctor's visit.
Contact lens wearers shouldn't wear them until a doctor gives the all-clear. Treatment for conjunctivitis depends on the cause. It ranges from antibiotic eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis to antihistamine and mast cell stabilizers if an allergic response is the culprit.
2. Dry Eyes – When Even Blinking Hurts
This uncomfortable condition happens when the body stops producing enough tears to keep the eyes naturally lubricated or the tears are of poor quality. The tear film is made up of three layers: oil, water and mucus. Blinking spreads tears across the surface of the eye. If any one layer of this optical triumvirate is faulty, it can cause dry eye. Dry eyes can develop when tears evaporate too quickly, tear production decreases or due to environmental causes. For example, a dry climate can increase tear evaporation.
Burning, stinging and scratchy sensations are common and may be especially pronounced when staring at a computer screen or trying to sleep. Eye redness, sensitivity to light and the sensation of having something stuck in the eye are other common symptoms. Sufferers may have a tough time driving at night and experience stinging and heavy, spontaneous watering. This is a reaction to the irritation dry eyes cause. Eye fatigue and blurred vision also may occur.
What causes dry eyes? Some possibilities are:
• Autoimmune disease: Autoimmune conditions like Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma can cause dry eyes.
• Aging
• Being female •
Medication: Thyroid drugs, antidepressants, hormone replacement therapy, drugs for high blood pressure and decongestants can all make the eyes dry.
• Duct trouble: Damage to tear glands can affect tear production.
• Environmental causes: There really is something in the air -- the wind. Smoke and a dry climate all have the potential to trigger/aggravate dry eyes, as does air conditioning.
• Nutritional deficiencies: A diet low in vitamin A -- found in common foods like broccoli and carrots -- or a skimpy amount of fatty acids, which are found in fish, walnuts and vegetable oils, also contributes to dry eyes.
Dry eyes can progress from a simply uncomfortable condition to something more serious like abraded corneas, which can affect vision and cause ulcers and eye infections, so don't let the problem linger.
Depending on the exact diagnosis, an eye doctor may prescribe eye drops, such as autologous serum drops made from patients' own blood in the case of severe dry eye that doesn't improve with other treatments. He or she may also reduce or change medications that may aggravate dry eyes or add medications to stimulate tear production.
Lubricating artificial tears along with daily compresses can help in mild cases. Light therapy and eyelid massage, plus contacts specially designed for dry eyes are other options. One procedure to treat dry eyes is inserting silicone plugs to close tear ducts.
3. Cataracts
When protein buildup forms in the lens, the eye's camera, it forms an opaque film that clouds vision. This can powerfully affect the ability to drive at night or read. Early-stage cataracts may not trouble vision initially but may develop and become a problem over time. Sometimes surgery may be required in more severe cases.
Why do cataracts happen?
• Accumulating birthdays: The likelihood of developing cataracts simply increases with age.
• Eye injury: The injury itself isn't always the problem, but the surgery if needed to treat it may lead to cataracts forming.
• Genetics: Thanks, Dad. Risk increases with a family history of cataracts.
• Born that way: Cataracts can be a congenital condition.
• Long-term steroid use: It's a sometimes-unavoidable consequence of taking medication -- the drug that solves one problem creates others.
• Diabetes: What messes with the blood sugar often has optical implications, too.
Signs of cataracts are:
• A literal lack of clarity: Blurry or clouded vision
• Chandelier angel sightings: Seeing halos around lights.
• Through a lens drably: Yellowed, fading colors
• Double vision in a single eye.
If you experience any sudden vision changes, blurriness or double vision, seek medical help immediately.
4. Presbyopia
Presbyopia is an annoying fact of life. This mainly age-related condition happens when the lens of the eye becomes less flexible and unable to change shape to focus. This causes objects within the field of vision to appear blurry. Presbyopia usually begins in the early 40s and tends to peak in the mid-60s.
A classic compensating move and presbyopia indicator is needing to hold reading material at arm's length so the text is easier to read. Early presbyopia can develop in someone who has a preexisting condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis. An eye exam will determine is presbyopia is present.
Simple corrective measures such as glasses or contact lenses are commonly prescribed. How presbyopia primarily makes itself known:
• Eyestrain after reading or doing close work.
• Symptoms worsen in dim lighting. Loss of vision in one eye, suddenly cloudy, blurred vision, light flashes, halos or black spots may indicated other problems and warrant a doctor visit. Next, let's take a look at the final eye condition on this list.
5. Poor Color Vision
Also known as color blindness, this often-inherited reduced ability to distinguish certain colors affects more men than women have this condition. However, the term colorblindness is a bit of a misnomer here as those who have it can see color if poorly in some ways. Commonly, people with poor color vision find it difficult to distinguish between red and green, which has implications for the ability to navigate traffic stoplights safely. Infrequently, there is also difficulty in discerning blue from yellow.
Color vision difficulty will not worsen over a lifetime whether it's severe, mild or moderate. If any of it is related to disease or other causes, treatment may improve it.
The structures in the retina of the eye are called rods and cones. They're light-sensitive cells, and the three different kinds allow the brain to perceive blue, green and red. Your brain, in interpreting the signals, allows for color recognition. Cones work together; for example, red and blue cones unite forces so the brain recognizes the color purple. The exact cause of reduced color vision remains unknown, but research suggests it's due to improperly functioning cones or a glitch in the brain-cone pathway. What are some tip-offs that the ability to see all color is impaired? Not all people with reduced color vision know they have it. It is sometimes caught in children when they can't tell the color of traffic lights or correctly choose color-coded materials.
Although there is no cure for inherited reduced color vision, treating an injury to the eye or another illness may improve it unexpectedly. Drugs that treat heart problems, high blood pressure, nervous disorders and erectile dysfunction all can cause a reduced ability to perceive color. So can diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s and workplace exposure to the chemicals carbon disulfide and fertilizers.
Wearing colored filters over eyeglasses or contact lenses can help sufferers better see contrast in colors but won't improve the ability to differentiate colors in and of themselves.