Eye Conditions

Glaucoma

This is a condition that results in damage to the optic nerve causing reduced peripheral vision and it is often associated with raised eye pressure. Most people who develop glaucoma are not aware that anything is wrong in the initial stages. It is therefore important to have your eyes checked routinely every two years from about the age of 45 years. Treatment is usually by eye drops with very satisfactory results in most cases.

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Cataract

This is an opacification that occurs in the lens of the eye. It causes progressive reduction in vision until an operation is necessary to remove the natural lens and replace it with a small plastic lens. Following the operation the vision becomes clear once again. The modern operation is very neat and usually the patient can leave hospital within 24 hours. It is not possible to remove a cataract using the laser.

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Diabetes Mellitus and the Eye 

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine condition that affects the pancreas gland causing reduced control of the level of blood sugar. These high levels of sugar eventually affect the integrity of small blood vessels causing partial breakdown and tiny leakages of blood and fluids. Organs that are particularly affected by this process are the eyes and the kidneys. These effects depend on the duration of the diabetes and also on the level of control of the blood sugar levels. Good control of blood sugar can postpone the day that damage to the eyes and kidneys occurs.

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Macular degeneration

This condition occurs in the retina of elderly patients. The retina is the tissue at the back of the inside of the eye that picks up light and allows you to 'see', similar to the film in a camera. The central part of this tissue, the macula, sometimes suffers from 'wear and tear' due to advancing age and stops functioning properly. The result is that precise vision such as reading small print is lost. Later in the condition it can be difficult to recognise peoples' faces. The peripheral vision is never affected and patients with macular degeneration are usually able to do all the normal things quite adequately except perhaps drive a car. Only very few cases can be helped with laser. Strong glasses or special magnifiers can often help.

Retinal Detachment

This is a relatively rare condition of the eye and has various predisposing causes. The 'seeing' tissue at the back of they becomes detached from the inside surface of the globe causing blurring of vision in the periphery or more seriously at the centre of the vision. Retinal detachments are often preceded by floaters and flashing lights. However if you experience either or both of these symptoms it does not necessarily mean you will get a retinal detachment, luckily the eye settles down in most of these cases without a retinal detachment occurring.

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Squint (Strabismus)

This is a condition where the muscles that control the movements of the eyes are not functioning correctly and a 'turn' or squint results. If you notice a squint in your baby's eyes it is important to have it checked out by an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Do not wait until the baby is older. Sometimes surgery is needed but often glasses alone will be prescribed. Occasionally glasses and surgery are required. A 'lazy' or amblyopic eye can result from a squint and all the different types are considered in the download.

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Short sightedness or Myopia

This is a common refractive error where it is not possible to see clearly in the distance. Glasses or contact lenses need to be prescribed to correct the optical error and allow the subject to see properly. People over the age of 21 years may have the option of having a laser correction instead. 

Long sightedness or Hyperopia 

Again this is a refractive error where the subject has difficulty in focusing the eyes to see clearly. Sometimes eye strain results and glasses are needed. Contact lenses can be worn instead and occasionally laser treatment can help. If a child suffers from hyperopia more in one eye than the other then a lazy eye (see below) can result. If there is a family history of hyperopia (long sightedness) causing lazy eye then all small children in the extended family should be investigated by an ophthalmologist.

Astigmatism

This is the third refractive error and sounds much worse than it is. Astigmatism exists when the front of the eye is shaped like a rugby ball instead of a soccer ball. Again this refractive error is correctable by glasses to allow the subject see clearly. Sometimes contact lenses can be worn to correct the error. Astigmatism is also amenable to laser correction in most cases. The danger in a young child is the development of lazy eye (see below). If there is a family history of lazy eye then all children in the extended family should investigated by an ophthalmologist at an early age. 

'Lazy eye' or Amblyopia

If a child suffers from a squint or astigmatism or other refractive error then amblyopia or lazy eye can result. When one eye has a problem the child concentrates through the good eye. This makes the part of the brain that services the other eye 'lazy'. It is necessary to patch the good eye to make the brain work properly on the other side. Often glasses have to be worn at the same time. The younger the child's age, when treatment is commenced, the better the results. All children from families that have a history of lazy eye, squint or thick glasses should be checked by an ophthalmologist at a young age. The younger the better.

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Presbyopia

When the average person reaches the age of 48 years (approx) it becomes difficult to see small print and reading glasses are required. This is called presbyopia and is a normal physiological phenomonen. 

Dry eye

This is a very common condition and can range from mild dryness in someone reading or using a computer to an extremely irritating condition associated with a general diagnosis such as rheumatoid arthritis or other collagen disease. Normal lubricants can help the milder cases but the skills of an experienced ophthalmologist are often necessary to help those with more severe dryness.