This World Sight Day, Know Your Eyes’ Common Ailments

Strain In The Eyes:

Eyes, like every other part of the living body, can get strained if overused. Working in front of computers, reading, watching television or driving for long hours can make them tired. You can splash them with cold water and shut them for some time to give a necessary rest. But, if they continue to get irritated by the strain, then see a doctor.

Glaucoma:

This damages the eye's (optic) nerve because of increased eye fluid pressure. There is no warning like early pain in most cases of glaucoma, and hence it is essential to have eyes regularly tested to detect if there is any such problem. Glaucoma can be caused by blocked blood vessels, inflammatory disorders, eye injury, etc.

Eyes Turning Red

The blood vessels on the surface of our eyes expand when experiencing an irritation or infection and it makes them red. Red eyes can be caused by strain, less sleep, allergies or any injury. They can also be symptoms of eye ailments like conjunctivitis or damage caused by the sun because of overexposure.

Colour Blindness:

The inability of our eyes to differentiate between colours (generally red and green) makes them colour blind. This happens when the cone cells in the eyes are either absent or dysfunctional.

Night-blindness:

Night-blindness means the inability to see well in the night, when there is not enough light. It can be caused by deficiency of vitamin A, cataracts, near-sightedness, etc. It is always advised to see a doctor if you have night-blindness. But being born with the problem can make it untreatable.

Lazy Eye

Also known as amblyopia, lazy eye is lack of proper vision in one eye. Since sighting becomes weak in one eye, the brain tends to ignore that and supports the more able eye, causing further deterioration in the weak eyesight. Lazy eye is seen in children and should be treated at the earliest, or it may lead to a permanent vision impairment.

Strabismus Or Cross Eyes:

Sometimes, our eyes are not aligned and can cause problems when we look at something. It is called strabismus or cross eyes. To cure this, you have to meet an eye specialist.

Presbyopia:

Presbyopia happens when you have a retarded ability to see things located close or at small prints. However, it doesn't affect your distance vision. This generally happens with ageing. Laser surgery, use of reading glasses and contact lenses can improve this eye ailment.

Floaters:

hese are tiny spots that float across in front of our eyes while seeing, particularly in bright light. Floaters are generally okay to have; but sometimes, they might hint at more serious eye problems like retinal detachment. In that case, it is also common to see flashes occurring with the floaters.

Uveitis:

This is an inflammation of the uvea, which is the middle layer of the eye, where most of the blood vessels are located. Uveitis can destroy the eye tissues and can also cause a permanent damage to the eyes. Red eyes, eye strain or pain and blurred sight can be symptoms of uveitis. It can happen to people of all age groups.Besides these, dry eyes, too-much tears (not that you are crying too much), eyelid problems, retinal disorders, etc., are also common eye ailments that need to be treated as soon as they are noticed.

Also, if your glasses or contact lenses are causing an inconvenience to you, do not forget to see the doctor.