There are almost 11 million Americans 12 years and older who need to have vision improvements. These include refractive errors and disorders; age related macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and ambloyopia plus strabismus.
Refractive errors are the most recurrent eye disorders in the United States and this includes myopia or near-sightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, astigmatism or distorted vision and presbyopia that is the disability to focus up close. All refractive disorders can be corrected by contact lenses, surgeries or eyeglasses.
Age related macular degeneration is a common eye disorder that is contracted by more than 3.3 million Americans forty years and older. This eye disorder is associated with aging and results in damages in the central vision. Central vision is used for seeing objects clearly and for reading and driving. AMD affects the central part of the retina. Wet AMD is defined as abnormal blood vessels behind the retina that are growing and causing blood and fluid leakage. Watch for symptoms of straight lines that appear wavy. Dry AMD produces gradual blurring to central vision. This is a common eye disorder and presents with yellow deposits under the retina. AMD is the foremost cause of permanent and diminishing reading and close up vision disorders among those sixty-five or older.
Cataracts are blurring of the eye’s lens and are the foremost cause of blindness and can occur at any age, even at birth. Treatment is widely available but insurance coverage and fear of treatments often prevents cataracts from being discovered and treated.
Diabetic retinopathy is a common eye disorder for those with diabetes. It is the leading cause of blindness in American diabetic adults. Progressive damage to the blood vessels in the light sensitive tissues at the back of the eye (retina) cause severe vision loss. To prevent diabetic retinopathy manage your blood sugar, pressure and lipid abnormalities. Prompt diagnosis and judicious treatment will reduced the risk of vision loss.
Glaucoma is a type of disease that damages the eye’s optic nerve and results in vision loss. This occurs when normal fluid pressures inside the eyes slowly rises. With early treatment you can protect your eyes against glaucoma a vision loss.
Amblyopia or lazy eye is a common eye disorder in children and is the medical term used when the vision in one eye is reduced by the eye and the brain not working together. The eye looks normal but the brain favors the other eye. If treated in early childhood, amblyopia can be cured. If not, one-eye vision impairment will be the result and adults will suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism in the working eye.
Strabismus is a disparity in the positioning of the eyes. Strabismus triggers the eyes to cross as in esotropia or turn outwards which is extropia. There is a lack of coordination between the eyes and as a result the eyes look in different directions or do not focus simultaneously on a single point. This eye disorder usually occurs just after birth. The risk is blindness in one eye as the brain compensates and favors the other eye.
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