The best way to make sure your eyes are in good condition is to keep up with regular eye appointments. During examinations, the optometrist will be able to spot symptoms before they develop more complex problems, ensuring your vision is not affected and the general condition of your eyes is good. However, as a sensitive part of our body, exposed to all elements, it’s likely they everyone will experience at least one eye-related condition in their lifetime.
Read on to learn a little more about three common eye-related conditions.
Styes
A stye usually appears as a red bump on the outside skin around the eyelid. When the oil glands around this area get blocked, dirt and skin can clog up causing bacteria to grow inside and develop into a stye. You should never attempt to pop a stye, and this can inflame the area and spread the infection. Symptoms of a stye include:
- Pain and swelling
- Crust around the infected eye
- Itchiness
To treat a stye, there are a few ways that you can speed up the healing process:
- Use a warm compress over the stye, this will encourage pus to come to the surface and drain away. You should hold it on there for around 10-15 minutes two to three times a day.
- Keep your eye clean using a mild soap and water, and gently wipe the area using a cotton bud or clean washcloth.
- Avoid wearing makeup on your eyes as this will only inflame the area, and transfer bacteria onto your brushes.
Cataracts
A cataract affects vision by clouding the lens, stopping you from seeing clearly - this is usually related to age. There are several reasons why cataracts may begin, for one, when the protein in the lens clumps up it can cloud the lens and therefore reduce the amount of light that reaches the retina - this can also cause the lens to turn yellow or brown in colour. Secondly, you are also at risk if you have diabetes, smoke or have experienced prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. Symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Frequent prescription changes
- Yellowing of colours
- Light sensitivity
- You can prevent cataracts by:
- Managing other related health problems properly
- Having a well-balanced diet
- Wearing sunglasses when outdoors
- Reducing your alcohol intake
- Surgery - if cataracts are majorly affecting your quality of life
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
As the leading cause of vision loss amongst those over 50, ADM damages the macula - part of the eye which allows us to see sharply and centrally. Over time, this can progress into blank spots in your central vision which can affect day to day life such as driving, reading, writing, cooking and recognising faces.
Symptoms include:
- Sentences or words appearing as wavy or distorted
- Fuzzy vision
- Blurred areas on a printed page
Treatment depends on what type of ADM you have, but may include:
- Eye injections
- Light treatment
If you’ve noticed a change in your eyes, it’s important that y make an appointment with a trained optician as soon as possible. In most cases it’s usually nothing to worry about, however, it’s always best to be on the safe side. At David Paul Opticians, based in Berkhamsted, we have a team of dedicated staff and optometrists on hand to improve the health of your eyes. For more information about our services get in touch today.