Our eyes bring us great joy when they broadcast beautiful images to our brains. So, it makes sense that we get worried at the first signs of trouble: blurry vision, redness, and other eye problems\u2014even mild ones\u2014can really disrupt our lives. What might be going on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because knowledge is power, we\u2019ve compiled a list of the most common eye diseases and disorders, with short descriptions of each. Read on to learn about everything from refractive errors to those pesky floaters. (But please don\u2019t use this list of eye conditions to diagnose yourself. See an eye doctor for that!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you need glasses<\/a> or contact lenses<\/a> to see clearly, then you most likely have a refractive error. A refractive error occurs when the shape or structure of your eye prevents light from focusing on your retina with precision. Without that pinpointed focus on your retina, you can\u2019t see as sharply, and objects at certain distances can appear blurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The four most common types of refractive error are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re nearsighted, you have trouble seeing objects that are far away, like upcoming road signs. This is because the light passing through your eye focuses on a point in front of the retina, rather than on its surface. This eye condition is also called myopia, and it\u2019s becoming increasingly common throughout the globe\u2014in fact, it\u2019s estimated<\/a> that about half of the entire world will be nearsighted by the year 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re farsighted, you have trouble seeing objects that are close to you, like your computer screen or a book. Just as nearsighted eyes focus light too far in front <\/em>of the retina, farsighted eyes focus light on a spot behind<\/em> it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Astigmatism is a kind of refractive error that can make objects at any distance appear blurry. It results when the curvature of the cornea or the lens of your eye is uneven instead of rounded. Due to this irregular curvature, light that passes through your eye focuses on two points instead of one. But, there\u2019s good news: they make glasses and contacts for astigmatism, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Presbyopia has many of the same symptoms as farsightedness, but the two are not the same. People with presbyopia have lost a degree of flexibility in the lens of their eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, as light passes through your eye, your lens adjusts its shape to focus the light on the retina. But as you get older, your lens tires out a bit. It isn\u2019t as elastic as it once was, and may even be thicker, resulting in a harder time discerning text and objects that are close to your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People with presbyopia benefit from bifocal or multifocal glasses and contacts, which sharpen their vision at multiple distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Some eye disorders can impact the way that eyes move in their sockets, resulting in (often disrespectful!) nicknames that reference the eye\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amblyopia is an inability to see clearly through one eye. This vision disorder most often arises during childhood, when the nerve pathway between the brain and affected eye develops abnormally. The eye doesn\u2019t \u201clearn\u201d to see correctly, and the brain eventually starts to favor the other, stronger eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amblyopia is sometimes referred to as \u201clazy eye,\u201d because the weaker eye can drift in an independent direction. But it\u2019s not very nice to call anything \u201clazy,\u201d including your eye. So, we prefer the scientific term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strabismus, often called \u201ccrossed eyes,\u201d is a condition that causes both eyes to look in different directions. This may be due to a problem with the muscles surrounding the eyes or the brain\u2019s ability to guide those muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nystagmus refers to an uncontrollable and rapid movement of the eyes, often with a side-to-side pattern. It\u2019s thought that nystagmus stems from neurological factors, but its exact cause can be hard to discern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glaucoma refers to a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve, which can result in vision loss and blindness. Although glaucoma\u2019s exact cause is unknown, it seems to be closely associated with high intraocular pressure\u2014which is why it\u2019s so important to get your IOP tested at regular eye exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A cataract is a portion of the lens of your eye that has become cloudy. The hazy appearance comes from proteins that have broken down inside the lens, which can happen naturally with age. As you might expect, having a cataract can impair your vision moderately to severely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many parents are familiar with the dreaded Pink Eye. This colorful moniker is another name for conjunctivitis, which is itself referencing the conjunctiva: the pink, thin lining around your eye and inside your eyelids. When you have conjunctivitis, that lining is inflamed and itchy due to allergies or an infection\u2014and if it\u2019s the latter, it\u2019s very contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uveitis is an inflammatory disease that results in swelling of the uvea, which is the middle section of your eye. Left untreated, it can harm eye tissue so much that it causes all types of vision problems, including irreversible vision loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many serious eye disorders involve the retina. This light-sensitive layer at the back of your eyeball is responsible for sending images to your brain, so it\u2019s crucial to monitor its health!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you get older, your macula\u2014the part of your retina that corresponds to seeing straight ahead\u2014may thin or become damaged. When that happens, your central vision worsens, making it tougher to perform certain tasks such as driving and reading. Age-related macular degeneration is increasingly common in seniors, and is a leading cause of blindness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetic retinopathy is a concern for people with diabetes, and results when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in your retina. This condition causes the vessels to swell, leak, or become blocked; it can also prompt the formation of new, less-functional vessels. If diabetic retinopathy goes unaddressed, it can lead to blindness. But studies have shown<\/a> that keeping your blood sugar and blood pressure within recommended ranges can lower the risk of its progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In certain circumstances, the retina (or part of it) can become detached from the back of the eye. This usually occurs due to aging or injury, and is considered a medical emergency\u2014surgery is needed to treat a detached retina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if you notice flashing lights intruding on your vision, a sudden, marked increase in those pesky eye floaters, or what seems like a dark shadow or \u201ccurtain\u201d impinging on your sight, get to a doctor post-haste!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cornea is the clear, outer covering at the very front of your eye that sort of looks (and functions) like a protective dome. It\u2019s an open eye\u2019s first line of defense, and also helps to focus light. Some common corneal conditions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea. The infectious version can stem from sources such as bacteria, parasites, or even fungus. The noninfectious version is usually caused by an injury or by wearing your contact lenses for too long. (One study<\/a> found that daily-contact wearers who sometimes left their contacts in overnight were at 9 times greater risk of developing keratitis than wearers who took them out as advised!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keratitis can result in an open sore on your cornea, also known as a corneal ulcer. It can also lead to permanent vision damage if it isn\u2019t treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The definition is in the name: Keratoconus occurs when the cornea thins out and protrudes into a more cone-like shape. This affects how light enters the eye and causes impaired vision. Mild cases can be corrected by glasses or contacts, whereas highly progressed cases may require surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The clinical term for a scratch on your cornea is a corneal abrasion. Corneal abrasions happen when anything scrapes up against the surface of your eye too hard, whether it\u2019s the bristles of a makeup brush or some wayward grains of sand. Minor corneal abrasions heal in a matter of days, but severe ones can scar the eye and impact your vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNearsightedness (Myopia)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Farsightedness (Hyperopia)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Astigmatism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Presbyopia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eye Movement Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Amblyopia, or \u201cLazy Eye\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Strabismus, or \u201cCrossed Eyes\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nystagmus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Glaucoma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cataracts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conjunctivitis, or \u201cPink Eye\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Uveitis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Retinal Disorders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Age-Related Macular Degeneration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diabetic Retinopathy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Retinal Detachment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Corneal Diseases and Conditions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Keratitis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keratoconus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Scratched Cornea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Corneal Dystrophies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n