Taking Vision For Granted

Most people take their vision for granted.  They wrongly assume that just because they are not experiencing pain or difficulty in seeing, that their eyes are in perfect condition.  In reality, some vision problems can occur with little or no apparent symptoms.  Furthermore, these problems can occur at different stages of life – from early childhood to senior adulthood. 

Strabismus

Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are misaligned and point in different directions.  It is most commonly found in children, but can affect adults as well.  While its cause is not completely known, strabismus can be hereditary and can be even associated with brain disorders.  It can also be caused by a severe eye injury or cataract.  Signs of strabismus include tilting the head to use both of the eyes or squinting one eye when exposed to bright light.

If there is a family history of strabismus, children under age three should be checked by an ophthalmologist.  Treatment can be as simple as wearing glasses, although some patients require surgery to either remove a cataract or remedy the unbalanced eye muscles. 

Amblyopia

Amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” is a common visual defect that occurs in early childhood when the eye does not develop normal vision.  It affects approximately three out of every 100 individuals.  It is usually discovered when an ophthalmologist detects a difference in vision between both eyes.  Since it is hard to measure vision in early childhood, doctors can diagnose amblyopia by studying how well an infant follows a moving object while one eye is covered.

“Amblyopia can be caused by strabismus, refractive errors, cataracts or other eye disorders,” said Bernard Milstein, M.D., founder and ophthalmologist at The Eye Clinic of Texas (ECOT).  “Treatment depends on the cause of the impairment, but it can be as simple as placing a patch over the strong eye.  Surgery may be needed for children who have developed a cataract or ocular misalignment.”   

Presbyopia

After the age of 40, the eyes begin to naturally weaken.  People often have to hold reading materials at arm’s length, even with glasses or contacts, in order to focus properly.  They might experience headaches or fatigue when performing “close-up” work, such as working on the computer.  This is the beginning of presbyopia, which is when the eye begins to lose its elasticity and can no longer focus at a varied range of visual points.

“Since presbyopia is caused entirely by the aging process, it is unavoidable,” said Daniel Gold, M.D., ECOT ophthalmologist.  “It will occur to everyone at some point in their lives, even if they never had a vision problem before.” 

Presbyopia is often treated with bifocals, or glasses with two focal lengths in each lens, one for near and one for distance.  For people who do not want to keep track of glasses or who are concerned about their appearance, monovision is another option.  Monovision corrects each eye individually, one eye for distance and one eye for near vision.  It can only be implemented through the use of contact lenses or through laser vision correction surgery.

Cataracts

Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens of the eye, resulting in impaired vision.  Nearly 50 percent of the population has some form of a cataract by the age of 65 and nearly 100 percent of the population by the age of 75, although some cataracts never reach the stage where they need to be removed. 

“When the cataract begins interfering with vision to the point where it is difficult to perform everyday tasks or unsafe to drive a car, then surgery should be considered,” said Allan Fradkin, M.D., ECOT ophthalmologist.  “Nowadays, surgeons are using a safe, generally painless and very effective procedure involving a small incision to treat cataracts that allows for quick rehabilitation.” 

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a progressive disease associated with excessive fluid build-up in the eye that causes pressure, vision impairment and potential blindness.  Sight lost to glaucoma can never be restored, but early diagnosis and treatment may ward off the potentially harmful effects of this important visual problem.

“Since there are typically no warning signs of the development of glaucoma until vision loss has occurred, it is extremely important for people to have regular eye exams,” Milstein said.  “Although it is not curable, eye doctors can diagnose and treat glaucoma before it results in nerve damage and vision loss.”

To treat glaucoma, doctors usually prescribe special eye drops to reduce the pressure in the eye.  However, laser or other forms of surgery may be needed.  

These are just a few of the eye ailments that can affect people at different stages of their lives.  Others include retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy, which creates abnormalities within the retina.  While these ailments might sound alarming, it is important to note that most can be diagnosed and treated early through regular eye exams all throughout an individual’s life. 

“We recommend having the first eye exam at the age of five, unless a noticeable impairment has already been detected, there is a strong family history of eye problems or the baby is premature,” Gold said. 

For more information on any of these visual impairments, contact The Eye Clinic of Texas at (800) 423-3937.

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