There are many different types of eye conditions that could be affecting your eyesight or could have long-term consequences if not treated properly or promptly. Many of these conditions can occur with no change to your vision! That is why it is so important to schedule regular eye health check-ups. If you think you or someone in your family has one of these conditions, please contact us at Baldwin Eye Clinic for an exam and recommendations.
Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
Lazy eye, medically known as amblyopia, is a loss or lack of development of vision, usually in one eye. This degenerative process usually begins with an inherited condition and appears during infancy or early childhood. Lazy eye needs to be diagnosed between birth and early school age since it is during this period that the brain “chooses” its visual pathway and may ignore the weaker eye permanently.
Lazy eye is not always easy to recognize since a child with worse vision in one eye does not necessarily have lazy eye. Because of this, it is recommended that all children, including those with no symptoms, have a comprehensive eye examination by the age of three and sooner if there is a family history of any eye condition or disease. If you suspect a problem, or need to schedule your child’s first eye examination, contact us to set up an appointment.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a general term for an inflammation of the eyelid and eyelashes. It is among the most common and stubborn eye conditions usually resulting from poor eyelid hygiene, a low-grade bacterial infection (usually staphylococcal), an allergic reaction, or abnormalities in oil gland function.
Like some other skin conditions, blepharitis can be controlled but not cured. The main goals in treating it are to reduce the amount of bacteria along the lid margin and open plugged glands. Contact us to assess the severity of your problem and determine the best treatment method.
Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens, which leads to a progressive blurring or dimming of vision. It is the world’s leading cause of blindness and among the most common conditions related to aging – by age 65, you have a 50 percent chance of developing a cataract, and, by age 75, this percentage jumps to 70 percent.
A cataract starts out small and initially has little or no effect on vision. As the cataract progresses, it becomes harder to read and perform other normal tasks. In the early stages, your doctor may recommend stronger eyeglasses and adjusting your lighting to reduce glare. When cataracts disrupt your daily life, your doctor may recommend cataract-removal surgery, which is one of the most frequent and successful procedures done in the U.S.
Computer Vision Syndrome
Computer Vision Syndrome is characterized by neck pain, blurry vision, stiff shoulders, headache and watery eyes when working in front of a computer screen. The symptoms are typically due to posture, dry eyes, eye muscle coordination and poorly corrected vision.
Since computer monitors are typically 20 to 26 inches from your eyes, your regular glasses may not be the best option for computer work. This distance range is considered intermediate – closer than what you use to drive a car but farther away than what you use to read. Special lens designs for computer work provide you with a larger intermediate area for viewing the computer and your immediate work area like the top of your desk. We can help you determine if these special lenses are appropriate for you.
Diabetic Eye Conditions
The American Diabetic Association recommends that all diabetics have annual eye examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, both of whom, should work closely with the patient’s medical doctor. Diabetic disease will affect the smallest blood vessels in the body first and these are located in the eye, brain, heart and kidneys. Your eye doctor is trained to perform a dilated retinal examination to look for hemorrhaging, macular swelling, inflammation and advanced vascular disease on each visit. We implement the most advanced diagnostic procedures such as internal photography and microscopic scans which indicate early disease at the smallest molecular level. The eye is the only organ where these changes can be observed and what we see here is also occurring in the heart, brain and kidneys.
Dry Eye Syndrome
Dry eyes are a very common problem in today’s society due to medications, environmental changes, computer use, autoimmune diseases, lasik and cataract surgery, corneal eye diseases such as Fuch’s Dystrophy, pterygiums and pingueculums.
Dry eye syndrome refers to a breakdown in the quantity or quality of tears to moisten, cleanse and protect the eyes. This is significant because, with each blink, tears protect the surface of the eye, washing away dust and microorganisms. When this protective coating dries up, the eyes may feel “gritty” and can be more sensitive to light. In extreme cases, vision can be blurred.
If you suspect that you have dry eye, contact us for an appointment. Proper care will not only increase your comfort – it will protect your eyes. Our doctors are employing a variety of innovative new procedures such as punctal occlusion, meibomian gland therapies, and new medications to remedy this annoying and sometimes sight threatening problem.
Floaters
Floaters are spots noticed suddenly in a person’s field of vision. Our doctors are trained to determine the cause of these “floaters or spots” and what treatment needs to be done.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma defined as an eye pressure which damages the nerves in the back of the eye. We now have equipment to determine the earliest loss of nerve function due to glaucoma.
Hypertension
Our eye doctors are trained to observe early hypertensive and arteriosclerosis changes by observing the state of the blood vessels on a dilated retinal examination.
Macular Degeneration
Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It is characterized by decrease of blood flow to part of the eye concerned with central vision and color perception. We now have advanced instrumentation, the OCT, to determine early anatomical changes in wet and dry macular degeneration.
Ocular Herpes (Herpes Simplex)
Ocular Herpes (Herpes Simplex) is a very painful and sight threatening condition which needs to be treated immediately. We recommend that anyone with a red, light sensitive, painful eye needs to be seen in the office as soon as possible to prevent permanent eye damage.
Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
Shingles (Herpes Zoster) is different from the above since it can cause permanent neurological and corneal damage. This condition is also very painful and we need to start treatment as soon as possible. If your eye is red, light sensitive, and painful, contact us for an appointment.
Strabismus
Cross-eyed, medically known as strabismus, refers to a condition in which eyes are misaligned. It commonly occurs when the muscles that control eye movement are not properly working together. The result is one or both eyes turning inward, outward, upward or downward, or one or both eyes moving irregularly.
Strabismus is usually diagnosed during childhood and affects about 4 percent of children, afflicting boys and girls equally. Though it cannot be prevented, its complications can be avoided with early intervention. Even if you notice symptoms intermittently – when your child is ill, stressed or fatigued – alert your eye care provider.