Common Eye Conditions

Glasses are used to correct vision problems associated with eye conditions, but some require surgery or other treatment to fix. The following eye conditions are all common eye disorders and diseases:

Amblyopia

Also known as lazy eye, amblyopia occurs when the brain favors the eye with better vision over the other. Treatment for amblyopia includes prescription glasses, vision therapy of patching the “good” eye to strengthen the other eye, blurring the “good” eye with dilation drops, or surgery.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea where light bends incorrectly within the eye resulting in blurry vision. Most astigmatism cases can easily be treated with prescription glasses.

Cataracts

Cataracts occur when a normally clear eye lens becomes cloudy over time. They can slowly develop over the course of years resulting in blurry vision, difficulty seeing especially at night, and potential vision loss. A clear, artificial lens can be used to replace the cloudy lens.

Glaucoma

A group of disorders that lead to progressive damage to the optic nerve is known as glaucoma. Caused by high pressure to the eye, glaucoma can result in the loss of nerve tissue leading to vision loss. Even though it is genetic, it usually doesn’t occur until later in life. Treatment for glaucoma includes medications, surgery, or laser treatments to lower the eye’s pressure.

Hyperopia

Hyperopia, commonly referred to as farsightedness, is a condition where you can see far away objects clearly, but close objects are blurry. Prescription eyeglasses are used to fix hyperopia.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus occurs when the cornea gradually thins and bulges out into a cone shape. Eyeglasses can correct the blurry vision during early keratoconus, but the prescription may need to frequently change as the shape of the cornea changes. Keratoconus can result in loss of vision or the need for a cornea transplant if not treated in time.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration affects the macula, the light-sensitive center of the back of the eye. This is typically age-related and the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Although there’s no treatment, progression of macular degeneration can be slowed down with vitamin supplements, eating healthy, and not smoking.

Myopia

Myopia, commonly referred to as nearsightedness, is a condition where you can see close objects clearly, but farther away objects are blurry. Wearing prescription glasses can correct myopia.

Presbyopia

As we age, it can become harder to focus on close objects because the lens inside of the eye becomes less elastic. Reading glasses or bifocal lenses can be used to correct the blurry vision associated with presbyopia.

Strabismus

Strabismus occurs when a person’s eyes are misaligned or pointing in different directions. Since both eyes are not focused on one spot at the same time, it can be difficult to see. There are four main types of strabismus. Esotropia is when one eye is misaligned inward, referred to as “crossed eyes.” Exotropia occurs when one eye is misaligned outward, referred to as “wall-eyed.” Hypertropia is when one eye is misaligned upward and hypotropia is when one eye is misaligned downward. Eyeglasses, prisms, vision therapy, or eye surgery can all be used to correct strabismus.

Some vision changes can be so subtle that they go unnoticed. That is why it is important to get annual eye exams so your eye care specialist can detect early signs of any eye disorders or diseases.