At one time or another, most people experience eye problems. Some of these problems are relatively minor and go away on their own. Others, however, require an eye doctor’s treatment. It can be frightening to discover that you have an eye disease.

Hence, it is important to educate yourself about common eye diseases, their symptoms, and ways to protect your vision. One of the best ways to prevent or slow the progression of some of the most common eye diseases is through routine eye examinations.

What Causes Most of the Common Eye Problems?

The eyes are some of the most complex and hardest working organs of the body. To enjoy clear vision, many parts of the eye must work together. Any malfunction or problem in any part of your eye can cause you to experience certain eye conditions.

Major Parts of the Eye

Pupil and Iris

The iris, which is the colored part of the eye, controls the opening in the middle of the eye, known as the pupil. Essentially, it controls the amount of light passing through the pupil.

Lens and Retina

Situated behind the pupil is the lens. It focuses light onto the light-sensitive structure located at the back of the eyeball known as the retina. The purpose of the retina is to convert the images it receives into the signals sent to the optic nerve.

Cornea

Located at the front of the eye, this layer of clear tissue focuses light.

Optic Nerve

This is a thick collection of nerve fibers that transmit visual information to the brain.

Common Eye Problems You Need to Learn About

Many common eye diseases do not present early symptoms and are painless during the early stages. These make them difficult to diagnose until they worsen. You might not be aware of them until you start noticing some changes in your vision. Some of these include:

Macular Degeneration

This is one of the most common eye conditions in the United States. Strangely, many people are not aware of this serious eye problem. The first thing you need to know is that there are more cases of macular degeneration than there are of glaucoma and cataracts combined.

Also known as AMD or age-related macular degeneration, this condition occurs when there is damage to the macula, which is the retina’s central portion. Currently, there is no cure for this eye disease, making it crucial to learn about it.

Diabetic Retinopathy

This is a common diabetes-related eye condition. It is one of the leading causes of blindness among adults. It causes gradual damage to the retina’s blood vessels and usually affects both eyes.

Fortunately, you can reduce your risk of developing DR by properly managing your blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipid abnormalities. Also, early diagnosis and treatment will reduce the risk of losing your vision. Thus, it is important to learn about DR, including the symptoms to watch out for, before it is too late.

Amblyopia

Also known as lazy eye, this is one of the most common causes of vision impairment in kids. It happens when one eye and the brain are not working well together, leading to reduced vision. The affected eye will look normal. However, it will not function properly since the brain will favor the other eye.

To learn about other common eye diseases, visit Advanced Eyecare Center at our office in Urbandale, Iowa. You can call 515-303-4488 today to schedule an appointment.