Medically reviewed by Victor Paulino, MD, DPBO · Ophthalmology · Makati Medical Center
Did you know that the eyes are the most developed out of the sensory organs in our body? And it makes sense, since we depend on our eyesight in order to do most of our daily activities. From cooking breakfast, taking a bath, going to work, choosing what to eat for lunch, and so on, we use our eyes to help us get things done and make sense of the world around us.
But since we use our eyes all the time, it is so easy to sometimes take it for granted. A lot of us do not even realize just how difficult things would be if we lose our vision altogether. This is the reason why taking care of our eyes is very important.
Maintaining good eye health should always be a priority. A good way to start would be to know what eye problems can damage or affect our eyesight.
Eye problems are diseases or conditions that make it difficult to see or can even make you lose your vision completely. Knowing what these problems are can help you take steps in preventing these problems from happening. Here are some common eye problems that people experience:
Refractive errors are among the most common eye problems that people experience. This includes conditions such as myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia, which causes older people to have difficulty seeing at near.
While these can cause difficulty in seeing without treatment, refractive errors rarely cause people to lose their vision completely. This usually happens in more extreme cases, and should not be a cause for concern for most people.
Macular degeneration is when the macula, or the part of the eye that gives you sharp and clear vision, experiences problems that cause your vision to get blurry. Unlike refractive errors, macular degeneration is a progressive disease that can cause a person to lose their eyesight over time.
Glaucoma is a group of conditions that affects a person’s optic nerve, or the nerve that connects the eyes to the brain. Vision loss due to glaucoma is permanent and can sometimes happen over a long period of time, or it can also happen suddenly. People with glaucoma also experience a lot of pain in their eyes.
Cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. It is a condition that causes the lens of the eyes to get cloudy, and can eventually cause vision loss. Cataracts can happen at any age, but they are most common among older people. This can usually be treated through surgery.
Another eye problem is called ambylopia, also known as lazy eye. This is most common in children and happens when the brain and the eyes are not working together. This causes the brain to favor one eye over the other and can cause vision impairment as a result.
Strabismus is a condition that has to do with how the eyes are positioned. People with strabismus can either have esotropia or exotropia. Esotropia is commonly known as being cross-eyed.
Strabismus causes the eyes to focus on different directions, and not at the same point. This can cause a loss of depth perception or even permanent vision loss in one eye.
The symptoms of eye problems can vary depending on the condition. But here are some of the more common symptoms that people with vision problems experience:
Any combination of these symptoms can mean that you might have some problems with your eyes.
If you experience any of the symptoms above, it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about it. Most eye problems are a progressive condition, which means that it can get worse over time.
Certain eye conditions can become serious, and even cancerous.
Maintaining good eye health at a young age helps reduce the risk of developing vision problems when you are older. Getting treatment early on can help prevent problems down the road.
Eye problems can be caused by a number of things, such as the following:
Here are some possible risk factors for eye problems:
In terms of diagnosis, your doctor would usually conduct several tests to see how healthy your eyes are. These include the following:
Once your doctor has diagnosed your condition, treatment can start.
Treatment for eye problems depends on what condition a person has. Here are some possible forms of treatment for eye problems:
Your eyes are very important, and making sure that you avoid eye problems is crucial when it comes to maintaining good eye health. Here are some important things to remember:
When it comes to maintaining good eye health, the most important thing to know is to be mindful of any changes in your eyesight. Most of the time, it can be hard to notice the early signs of eye problems. But if you take the time to read up and keep yourself informed of what to watch out for, you can avoid having eye problems in the future.
Disclaimer
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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