RxLess > Health Conditions > Eye Problems

Eye Problems

What are some common eye problems?

Some people have eye issues at birth. Others develop disorders that affect eye health as they age. Many medical conditions impact the way your eye and brain work together. When that happens, your doctor may recommend treatments that include medication.

Below are some common conditions that affect the eye and impact vision.

Refractive errors

Refractive eye issues cause light to bend improperly when passing through the cornea and lens. That causes problems with the way you perceive objects around you. Common eye disorders related to refractive errors include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Most people correct their vision by wearing corrective lenses or having surgery.

Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration, typically starts as people approach middle age. The central vision required for tasks like reading and driving starts to deteriorate.

Common symptoms include:

Blurry vision when looking at fine print
Dark spots floating in the central part of your vision field
Straight lines may appear curved

While there’s currently no cure for macular degeneration, some patients benefit from low vision rehabilitation. For advanced cases, doctors may recommend a surgery involving implanting a telescopic lens into the eye that magnifies a person’s line of vision.

Cataracts

A cataract is a cloudiness that develops in one or both lenses of your eyes. It’s one of the leading causes of blindness around the world. They may be present at birth or appear later in life. Surgery involving the removal of the cloudy lens and the placement of an artificial one typically resolves cataracts in most people.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma consists of a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss. It’s caused by the pressure build-up in the fluid inside the eye. Early treatment, including prescription eye drops or surgery, go a long way toward preserving an individual’s vision.

Can any complications arise if left untreated?

Without treatment, people with eye problems may have trouble functioning normally. If the eye condition continues getting worse, that individual may be at risk of permanently losing their vision.