Our eyes are vital, yet delicate organs. They need to be taken care of, and when they are injured, they have a habit of healing slowly and painfully. But what are some of the most common eye health issues that are around, and how are they treated? Read on to find out.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a serious and common eye issue. It can result in restricted vision and even permanent blindness, so it isn’t something to be taken lightly.
It’s caused by an issue with the fluid in the eye not draining properly. This results in poor circulation of the fluid towards the front of the eye. Something that then puts excess pressure on the optical nerve, causing damage that can lead to blindness.
It’s not known exactly what cause this the problem with the drainage of fluid, although it is known to be passed on from parent to child. So if you parent has the condition, you are much more likely to get it.
Unfortunately, most people don’t know that they have it, but a simple test performed at the eye centers like www.sweye.com can show whether you are at risk or not. Of course its crucial to have this done regularly because the sooner its discovery the more can be done to slow its progress as much as possible.
Cataracts
Cataracts is an another eye condition that causes a lot of misery for a lot of people. Most people associate cataracts with old age, and it’s true in the nuclear type. As this is most prevalent in those over 60. This is when the hardening and clouding of the lenses occur toward the center.
But there are also two other types of cataract that aren’t necessarily associated with aging: subcapsular and cortical. The former occurs at the back of the lens and the latter round the outer edges.
Happily, medical advances mean that cataract surgery is becoming more and more sophisticated. For most cases, surgeons will remove the damaged lens in your eye and replace it with a plastic lens to improve eyesight.
It’s a pretty low-risk operation that you can find out more about at http://www.medicinenet.com. Some doctors even do it under local anesthetic, so you can be home the same day.
Allergies
Lastly, for many of us, the bane of our lives are allergies which affect the eye. Whether you are allergic to pet dander and spend the entire time and your friend’s house rubbing your eyes and sniffing, or it’s flower pollen that really does you in, allergies can seem like a minor issue. But they can actually cause a great deal of suffering. Something you can find out more about in my previous post here.
The most effective treatment is antihistamines, which minimize the reaction your body is having to the allergen. Although using an air filter like the one at http://www.nytimes.com, to remove allergen particles from your environment can help too.
As can staying away from triggers as much as possible, by using hypoallergenic bedding and having hypoallergenic pets.