Why Learn About Eye Health?

Great question. We want you to be informed about your vision health before it becomes a problem. The conditions and diseases below are common ailments you should know about.

Conditions of the Eye

Myopia (Nearsighted)

Myopia is nearsightedness, or trouble seeing distant objects clearly, while still being able to see close-up without problems. Sometimes patients don’t realize they have myopia – they think everyone is unable to read distant road signs or other distant objects clearly. Once they get corrective lenses or contacts, they’re surprised at how clear the world is. Click here to read more about myopia symptoms and signs.

Hyperopia (Farsighted)

Farsightedness is the inability to see things up close. People with hyperopia sometimes get headaches or eye strain working on a computer or other close-range tasks. Hyperopia is caused by an eyeball that isn’t as long as it needs to be. Sometimes hyperopia is mistaken for presbyopia. While the effect is the same, the causes are different.

Learn more about hyperopia here.

Astigmatism

Often mistakenly called stigmatism, an astigmatism is not an eye health problem, but a problem with how the eye focuses light. Symptoms of astigmatism are eye strain and headaches, often after reading or prolonged work involving focusing. It is often caused by an irregularly shaped cornea which causes vision to be blurred or distorted.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is normal for persons around age 40, even if they haven’t had vision problems before. This condition is believed to be caused by a gradual thickening and loss of flexibility of the lens inside the eye, and changes in the muscle fibers surrounding the lens – but other theories exist. We can help you with corrective lenses, but also with eye exercises and vitamin supplements.

Diseases of the Eye

Dry Eyes

Dry Eye Syndrome is a condition that affects the quality and quantity of tears created for the front surface of our eyes. Common symptoms of dry eye include burning, watering, stringy mucous discharge, headaches, fatigued eyes, and light sensitivity. Dry eye can also affect the clarity and crispness of your daily vision, as well as your comfort while wearing contact lenses. Vision changes throughout the day often indicate some degree of dry eye syndrome. Using computers for long periods of time throughout the day or reading fine print for hours at a time can cause dry eye syndrome.

Allergic Conjunctivitis

Pink eye is inflammation of the thin, clear covering of the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. It’s a term that sounds scary, but is common and easily treated. Anyone can get pink eye, but people in close proximity to others, such as classroom environments, are more prone to catching this very contagious condition.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is noticeable vision loss that can lead to blindness. It refers to a group of eye disorders that damage the optic nerve that carries information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma often progresses undetected until the optic nerve has already been damaged. This is a very important reason to get regular vision checkups.

OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Symptoms of this type rarely show beforehand, and once vision loss sets in, the damage to the optic nerves is already severe and irreversible. Early symptoms include gradual loss of peripheral vision, and can even lead to blindness.

ANGLE-CLOSURE GLAUCOMA

This type displays with symptoms that come and go, though it can also steadily become worse. Common symptoms are cloudy vision with a decrease in overall vision, and rainbow-like halos around lights, making night-time driving very dangerous. Other symptoms can present as sudden, severe pain in one eye, nausea and vomiting, red-eye or an eye that feels swollen.

CONGENITAL GLAUCOMA

Vision problems in infants can be the result of congenital, or inherited glaucoma. At times this can be seen on the eye as cloudiness of the eyeball or enlargement of one, or both eyes. Infants can also display red or teary eyes (more than normal) and sensitivity and discomfort with light.

Cataracts

This is the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40, and the leading cause of blindness throughout the world. A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens behind the iris and pupil. The primary early symptom of a cataract is slightly blurred vision and glaring brightness from the sun or a lamp, and colors that don’t seem as bright as they used to. There are nutritive supplements that can help prevent or delay cataracts – come in and learn more!

Macular Degeneration

Both age-related and genetic macular degeneration result in blind spots in the center of your vision. It can be detected early with a retinal exam, and can be addressed with lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements and exercise. Yet another reason to come in for regular exams, macular degeneration and associated vision loss is increasing in the U.S. from 1.75 million today to almost 3 million by 2020.

Floaters

Do you ever see tiny spots, specks and cobwebs that drift across your field of vision? This is generally harmless, but if you see a shower of floaters sometimes accompanied by flashes of light, you should seek medical attention immediately.

2354 East Main Street

Bexley, OH 43209

T: 614-235-9393

Lancaster Eye Care Office

3794 Old Columbus Road Northwest

Carroll, OH 43112

T: 740-756-7700