Common eye problems explained
Understanding common eye problems
Eye diseases and vision disorders are common. They can come from infections, injuries or other conditions that affect the body as a whole. Some eye conditions are congenital, meaning a person is born with them. Many of these conditions are treatable. Even more serious problems that may threaten your vision can be managed if they are caught and treated early.
If you think there’s a problem, consulting an eye doctor is important to keep your eyes healthy. A comprehensive eye exam is an ideal way to determine what the problem is and how to treat it.
SEE RELATED: When do you need an eye exam? 5 signs it’s time
Signs and symptoms of common eye conditions
Changes in how your eyes look and feel could signal an eye problem. These could include:
It could also include how your eyes move or function, such as if you’re having trouble blinking or if they’re watering more than normal.
Any changes in your vision, like blurriness or double vision, could also be indicative of an eye condition. These changes could be due to aging or a disease that is harming your eyes over time, so it’s important to see an eye doctor to catch and treat a possible problem early.
SEE RELATED: Pain when blinking: Causes, treatment and conditions
Everyday eye problems many people experience
There are many common eye diseases and vision problems. These can range from injuries to conditions that develop as you age.
Refractive errors
The retina is a layer of tissue at the back of the eye that senses light. When your eye doesn’t focus light onto the retina correctly, this is called a refractive error. It can be caused by the shape of your eye or changes as you age.
The four most common types of refractive errors are:
- Myopia (nearsightedness) – Trouble seeing objects that are farther away.
- Hyperopia (farsightedness) – Trouble seeing objects that are closer.
- Astigmatism – Trouble seeing objects both closer and farther away.
- Presbyopia – Trouble seeing things up close due to age-related eye changes.
Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Pink eye (or conjunctivitis) occurs when the conjunctiva becomes inflamed. The conjunctiva is a clear membrane that covers the eye’s surface and lines the inner eyelids. It can get inflamed because of allergies (allergic conjunctivitis), an infection (bacterial or viral conjunctivitis), chemical injuries (chemical conjunctivitis), or environmental pollution such as wildfires, smog or cigarette smoke.
SEE RELATED: Eye allergies vs. pink eye: What’s the difference?
Dry eye disease
Your eyes produce a tear film (a layer of tears) to coat and protect your eye’s surface. If your eyes aren’t making enough tears or those tears are drying out too fast, this could lead to dry eye disease. Sometimes, both of these causes can happen at the same time. It’s important for both tear quality and quantity to be in the appropriate balance.
Corneal abrasion
A corneal abrasion is a scratch on the cornea, which is a clear covering on the front of the eye that focuses light. They’re the most common injury to the eye. Scratches could be caused by fingernails, tree branches or a material that gets into the eye. These are often very painful but tend to heal quickly.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is when your eyelids become inflamed. There are two types, depending on the area of the swelling:
- Anterior blepharitis – Inflammation near the front of the eyelid, where your eyelashes meet your lids. There may also be dandruff on your lashes.
- Posterior blepharitis – Inflammation where your eyelid touches your eyeball.
- Demodex blepharitis – Inflammation, itching and possible eyelash dandruff due to an infestation of Demodex mites.
Blepharitis can be caused by a skin condition, infection, or dysfunction or clogging of the oil glands in your eyelid.
Stye
A stye is a bump or lump that grows near the eyelid margin. It is usually painful and inflamed. It can be internal (under the eyelid) or external (on the eyelid).
Both types are usually caused by infection. For internal, the oil gland in your eyelid might be infected. For external, the hair follicle of your eyelash might be infected.
Chalazion
Like a stye, a chalazion is a bump on the eyelid. But unlike a stye, it doesn’t usually happen from an infection. Typically, a chalazion is caused by a clogged oil gland. However, it is possible for a stye to become a chalazion.
Chalazia are not usually painful. But as they grow, they may cause your eyelid to become swollen and sensitive. They usually grow slightly farther from the eyelid margin than a stye. They are also more common on the upper eyelid than the lower.
Cataracts
Cataracts describe cloudy areas that form in the lens of the eye. The lens helps to focus light. It is normally clear, so the cloudiness from cataracts can interfere with your vision. They might make it blurry or hazy. Cataracts are a normal change that comes with age. Not all cataracts require surgery.
Less common but more serious eye conditions
Some eye conditions are more serious than a refractive error or a treatable infection. While still common, these conditions might be more long-term or require more specialized treatment, like surgery.
Strabismus
Strabismus is when the eyes aren’t aligned correctly — one looks a different way from the other. Your eyes can’t focus on one point this way, so strabismus can cause double vision, eye strain or problems with depth perception.
Over time, your brain may start ignoring whatever the misaligned eye sees. This runs the risk of losing vision in that eye.
Amblyopia
When vision is impaired in an eye — as can happen over time with strabismus — this is called amblyopia or lazy eye. This usually happens in just one eye, although it can happen in both. Unlike with strabismus, the eye looks normal.
Other conditions that interfere with clear vision, like a refractive error or cataracts, could also lead to amblyopia. If the condition is not treated, your brain will rely on vision only from the stronger eye over time.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve, which sends information from the retina to the brain. Glaucoma usually results from increased fluid pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure). That pressure kills the nerve fibers of the optic nerve, which results in blind spots. If not treated, glaucoma could cause blindness.
There are two main types of glaucoma:
- Open-angle glaucoma – When the eye has trouble draining as much fluid as it should. This raises the fluid pressure in your eye over time.
- Closed-angle glaucoma – When the eye can’t drain fluid because the drainage angle in your eye gets blocked (usually by the iris, the colored ring in your eye). This could cause the pressure in your eye to rise very suddenly, resulting in an acute attack.
READ MORE: Glaucoma and eye pressure: Q&A
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
AMD affects the macula, the center of the retina. The macula is responsible for your central vision and allows you to see fine details. When it is damaged or grows thinner over time with aging, your central vision may be impaired.
There are two main forms of AMD:
- Dry AMD – When the damage is caused by cells in the macula breaking down over time. What exactly causes the cells to break down isn’t known for sure, but it is generally thought that the changes are related to aging.
- Wet AMD – When the damage is caused by abnormal blood vessels that grow under the macula and retina. These blood vessels can leak, which causes bleeding, scarring and blind spots.
Diabetic eye disease
Diabetes can cause a range of eye problems. High blood glucose (sugar) can affect:
- The lens of your eye
- The blood vessels of the retina
- The eye surface and surrounding skin
This could lead to a diabetic eye disease, like cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic macular edema (damage to the macula caused by leaking blood vessels), along with increasing the risk of dry eye.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease. It happens when blood vessels in the retina leak or bleed into the fluid that fills the back of your eye called the vitreous. This can make you see spots or streaks in your vision. It might also cause your retina to detach from the other tissues at the back of the eye.
Retinal detachment
Retinal detachment is when the retina detaches from the tissues that support it at the back of the eye (which normally provide it with blood flow). A detached retina can cause serious problems with vision, possibly even blindness.
There are three primary causes of retinal detachment:
- Rhegmatogenous – When fluid (the vitreous) gets through a tear in the retina. The fluid collects between the retina and the back of the eye, pushing the retina away from its supporting tissue. The vitreous may also tear the retina further.
- Exudative – When fluid collects behind the retina and pushes it away, but without a tear. This fluid is normally from leaking blood vessels or swelling.
- Tractional – When scar tissue (like from damage caused by diabetic retinopathy) causes traction or pulling. This eventually separates the retina from the tissues at the back of the eye.
How eye problems are diagnosed
Many eye problems can be diagnosed during a standard eye exam. These are performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Your eye doctor will perform a series of tests to assess your vision and the overall health of your eyes. These tests usually include:
- Having you follow an object with your eyes to test your eye muscles.
- Shining a light in your pupil to make sure it responds to light.
- Checking the internal pressure of the eyes using a puff of air or other form of tonometry.
Your doctor can examine the front parts of your eye (like the cornea, conjunctiva and iris) using a special instrument called a slit lamp. A slit lamp can also be used to examine the back parts of your eye (like the retina and optic nerve), or your doctor may use a different instrument called an ophthalmoscope. This procedure is called an ophthalmoscopy or fundoscopy.
Your doctor will likely use eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupils for ophthalmoscopy. This makes it easier for the doctor to see into the eye.
SEE RELATED: What is a dilated eye exam and when do you need one?
How eye conditions are treated and managed
How your eye condition is treated will depend on the specific condition and its severity.
Some eye problems can be treated relatively easily. Glasses and contact lenses can correct refractive errors, which could also help prevent conditions like amblyopia. For an infection, an antibiotic/antiviral medication or antibiotic/antiviral eye drops may be used. In some cases, home remedies may help — for instance, warm compresses can help both blepharitis and styes.
Some more serious conditions may need more specialized treatments. Although glaucoma can be managed with eye drops that help control intraocular pressure, surgery or a laser procedure may be needed to help the eye drain properly. Damage from an ongoing disease, like AMD or diabetic retinopathy, can sometimes be managed with injections of specific medications or specialized surgery. Lifestyle changes, like reducing blood sugar, may also help reduce the risk of developing problems over time.
When should you see an eye doctor?
In general, you should see an eye doctor if you are experiencing eye pain, redness or changes to your vision. These changes could include:
You should see an eye doctor promptly if you experience sudden vision loss (which is a medical emergency). Signs of vision loss can include:
- Seeing bright lights or flashing
- Feeling like your vision is partially or fully obscured by a black curtain (things get darker or dimmer)
- Fading or blurry objects
Even if you are symptom-free, it’s important to get an eye exam regularly — every one to two years — to make sure your eyes are healthy. Regular comprehensive eye exams mean you increase your chances of catching an eye disease in the early stages, especially those conditions with no symptoms.
More frequent exams may be needed based on your age and if you have an existing eye condition or a condition that raises your risk of developing eye problems, like diabetes.
READ NEXT: Eye problems: Symptoms from A to Z
