Common eye conditions
Blepharitis :
Blepharitis is an inflammation of your eyelids. It can make eyelids red and eyelashes crusty and make your eyes feel irritated or itchy. It can also lead to burning, soreness or stinging in your eyes. In severe cases, your lashes may fall out, and you can develop small ulcers or styes as well. You may find your eyelids become puffy. The symptoms tend to be worse in the morning and when you wake up you may find your lids are stuck together. Blepharitis is a chronic (long-term) condition. This means that once you have had it, it can come back even after it has cleared up. It normally affects both eyes. You can usually treat it by keeping your eyelids clean. You may need to do this for several months.
Conjunctivitis :
Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by infection or allergies. It usually gets better in a couple of weeks without treatment.
This can also be known as red or pink eye. It usually affects both eyes and makes them:
bloodshot, burn or feel gritty, produce pus that sticks to lashes, itch or water.
Cataract :
Cataracts are formed when the clear lens inside your eye becomes cloudy or misty. This is a gradual process that usually happens as we get older. It does not hurt. The early stages of a cataract do not necessarily affect your sight. The only proven treatment for a cataract is surgery. If the cataract gets to the stage where it affects your sight, your optometrist will refer you to a hospital to have this done. The surgery is carried out under a local anaesthetic and has a very high success rate.
Dry eyes :
Dry eye is a common condition that may be caused because your eyes do not produce enough tears, or because the tears that you have evaporate too quickly or do not spread evenly across the front of your eye. The symptoms are usually in both eyes. Dry eye can make your eye feel scratchy or irritated. In severe cases it may temporarily make your vision blurry. It can be uncomfortable, but rarely causes serious eye damage
Glaucoma related eye conditions :
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye. This may be because the pressure is higher than normal, or because the nerve is more susceptible to damage from pressure. This may affect one or both of your eyes. There are two main types of glaucoma – chronic glaucoma, which happens slowly, and acute glaucoma which happens quickly. Chronic glaucoma is much more common than acute glaucoma. The most common form of chronic glaucoma is called primary open angle glaucoma (POAG)
Diabetes related eye conditions :
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.
There are 2 main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
Type 2 diabetes –where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. It affects blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye).
If you have diabetes, it’s important for you to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms at first — but finding it early can help you take steps to protect your vision.