Eye Conditions

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• QWhy should I know about eye floaters?

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  A Dr. Aaron P. Weingeist, MD , Ophthalmology, answered on behalf of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart

  Floaters are small pieces of vitreous gel or cells shaped like dots, circles, lines, clouds, or cobwebs that tend to be more common in adults once they reach middle age. Although it may look like these particles are in front of your eye, they are actually floating in the vitreous fluid—a clear fluid that fills the inside of your eye. Many floaters are harmless, and surgery to treat them is almost never required. They may diminish over time without treatment.

  However, in some cases, the sudden appearance of floaters or flashes of light may be a sign that there is a tear in the retina. This can be a serious problem because, if left untreated, the retina may detach from the back of the eye. If you experience either of these symptoms, you should see your eye doctor as soon as possible.

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• QWhat is eyelid margin disease?

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  A American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered

  Eyelid margin disease is a common and persistent inflammation of the eyelids. This condition frequently occurs in people who have a tendency toward oily skin, dandruff or dry eyes.

  With blepharitis, both the upper and lower eyelids become coated with oily particles and bacteria near the base of the eyelashes.

   

  Symptoms include:

  • Eye and eyelid irritation 
  • Itchiness of the eye
  • Redness of the eye
  • Burning sensation
• QHow are drooping eyelids treated?

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  A Dr. Ross Rudolph, MD , Plastic Surgery, answered on behalf of Scripps Health

  It’s a fact of life: Over time we begin to sag. One place this is most apparent is in the upper eyelids, which tend to thin with age and lose elasticity.

  As a result, the eyelids look droopy, even sleepy, which can accentuate the appearance of aging. Some people ask about Botox, but that does not help drooping eyelids.

  Various kinds of eyelid lifts are available, however. Surgery removes excess skin, and sometimes excess muscle and fat, from the upper eyelids. While this is often a cosmetic procedure, if the eyelids are sagging too much and blocking vision, insurance may cover the costs of surgery.

  It’s important to carefully consider which approach to choose. Remember, all medical procedures come with some risk. Your plastic surgeon can help you sort through the options.

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• QWhat are floaters?

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  A HealthyWomen answered

  Curious about this common but pesky phenomenon? Here are some facts about floaters:

  • Floaters are caused by a slowly shrinking vitreous (a gel-like substance that helps maintain the eye's round shape).
  • Although they're annoying, floaters shouldn't interfere with vision.
  • Floaters may be more obvious when a person is looking at something bright, like a blue sky or a white wall or sheet of paper.
  • Floaters are more likely to occur if eyes have been injured or inflamed, or if a person is nearsighted, has diabetes or has had surgery for cataracts.
  • Some floaters will go away on their own in a few weeks or months. But once a person has them, it's pretty likely they'll return in some shape or form at some point.
  • A medical exam can examine floaters more closely and determine whether or not they're dangerous and a sign of something more serious, like a retinal tear or detachment. (Many times, the first sign of a tear or detachment is a sudden increase in the size and number of floaters, or the sudden appearance of light flashes or peripheral loss of vision.)
  • If floaters become too numerous and dense and seriously interfere with vision, they can be surgically removed (this is known as a vitrectomy, a procedure that removes floaters from the vitreous and replaces the fluid with a salt solution). There are some clinics that also treat floaters with a laser, but this treatment is more common in the United Kingdom, and its safety and effectiveness are not certain.

  If the occasional cobweb, flying insect or squiggly line becomes bothersome, keep an eye on their frequency and intensity and get it checked out if there's a sudden or drastic change. Many times, moving the eyes can shift the fluid around and make the floaters settle for a while. Other times, the brain grows accustomed to the intrusion, and learns to ignore it.

  This content originally appeared on HealthyWomen.org.

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• QHow is a vitreous hemorrhage in the eye treated?

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  A Dr. Abdhish R. Bhavsar, MD , Ophthalmology, answered on behalf of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart

  Vitreous hemorrhage can occur from many different causes. The treatment depends on the cause. Sometimes we can inject medicines into the eye to help decrease the vitreous hemorrhage, such as Vitrase or Avastin, but it would again depend on the cause of the hemorrhage. The last and in many cases best option for treating vitreous hemorrhage is with vitrectomy surgery in the operating room. 

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• QWhat is hyperopia (farsightedness)?

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  A Dr. Laura C. Fine, MD , Ophthalmology, answered

  People with hyperopia (farsightedness) see objects better at a distance than up close. In this case, the eyeball is usually too short, and light rays reach the retina before they are focused. Hyperopia can also be caused by weaknesses in the refractive power of the lens and cornea (the curved, transparent dome of tissue at the front of the eye). While farsightedness may go unnoticed for years, the eye's corrective ability diminishes with age, and a person will probably need glasses by midlife.

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• QWhat are refractive errors of the eye?

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  A American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart answered

  The eye’s ability to refract or focus light sharply on the retina may be affected by a variety of conditions. When the eyeball is too long, visual images are focused in front of the retina, and myopia, or nearsightedness, results. When the eye is too short, images are focused beyond the retina. This causes hyperopia, or farsightedness. If the cornea is not perfectly round, then the image is refracted or focused irregularly, resulting in a condition called astigmatism. Similarly, an irregularly-shaped natural lens or problems with the way it functions also can cause focusing problems.

  These various focusing problems can cause light rays to bend or refract at odd angles, leading to blurry or distorted vision. This inability to achieve sharp focus is called refractive error.

  Although refractive errors are called eye disorders, they are not diseases.

  There are a number of methods used to correct refractive errors, including eyeglasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgery.

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