Three Eye Diseases To Avoid With Regular Eye Exams
Many eye issues give you some warning before they become severe. But three particular troubling eye diseases can lead to a loss of vision without presenting many symptoms. The best way to avoid these problems is to see your eye doctor for regular eye exams. They will detect any changes in your eye before you notice any symptoms yourself. Here are the three eye diseases that you can avoid by having a periodic eye examination.
Glaucoma
Your eyeball is full of a gel-like material called vitreous humor. This fluid maintains the shape of the eye. As more fluid is produced, old fluid leaves the eye through tiny pores. The shape of the eye and the pressure inside are maintained at a constant rate. Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure in the eye increases until important structures are damaged.
Glaucoma causes an increase in the production of the fluid and a restriction to the amount of fluid that leaves the eye. The pressure in the eye slowly builds. When the pressure reaches a critical point, the optic nerve can be damaged, leading to full or partial blindness.
Your eye doctor will monitor the pressure in your eyeball during an examination. When they detect a steady rise in pressure, indicating the presence of glaucoma, they will recommend one of the following treatments:
- Eye drops - These reduce the production of the fluid in the eye and open up the pores to allow more fluid to escape.
- Injections - These are done into the eye to slow down the production of vitreous humor.
- Surgery - This is done to create additional openings in the eye to release the fluid and relieve the pressure.
Macular Degeneration
At the back of the eye is a spot called the macula, which is responsible for clear central vision. Macular generation affects this spot and can cause a partial or total loss of vision.
There are two forms of this disease. In one, weakened blood vessels in the eye leak fluid out onto the retina. As the fluid accumulates, your vision becomes less clear and you need more light to see. With the other form, a crusty material develops over the retina, blocking out the light. When this becomes severe, you'll lose your central vision completely.
Your doctor will spot these problems during an exam and recommend one or more of the following treatments:
- Medication - This is used to slow down or stop the leaking of fluid from the weak blood vessels.
- Laser surgery - A tiny laser is used to destroy the weak blood vessels and remove some of the dry material that has developed over the macula.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes also affects the blood vessels in the eye. It causes blood vessels to swell and leak fluid onto the retina. The vessels also cause scar tissue to develop that pulls on the retina. Should the retina be pull away from the back of the eye, you'll have a full or partial loss of vision.
Once detected, your eye doctor can offer the following treatments:
- Medication - Used to control the production of these weak blood vessels.
- Laser surgery - This can also be used to destroy weak vessels and prevent the scar tissue from developing.
By having regular eye examinations, your doctor, such as at Mid-America Vision Center, can detect these diseases and start treatment before they become a problem. If you don't, these conditions can sneak up on you without warning until you have a serious and permanent loss of vision.
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