Contact lenses are generally less permanent than surgery, and so do not have the problems associated with permanent damage. Contacts are also less expensive. Some people also may want to use contact lenses rather than use glasses, which can be more easily lost and will change their appearance. Contact lenses also make it easier than glasses to do certain things, such as wear a mask or use 3-D glasses at the movie theater.
Eye Conditions
Eye diseases, which are common among adults and range from temporary to chronic and sight‐threatening, can be a result of genetics, injury, surgery or aging. You can lower your risk with a proper diet, wearing sun-protective lenses when outdoors and by seeing your doctor for regular exams.
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Dr. David R. Demartini, MD , Ophthalmology, answeredPtosis is the drooping of the upper (usually) eyelid. Most people get ptosis because of old age and laxity of the muscle and tendon that lifts the upper eyelid. Other diseases can cause the drooping of the eyelid including myasthenia gravis, stroke muscle degeneration diseases, and abnormal masses behind the eye or injuries. Some babies are born with droopy eyelids and need surgery to improve this. There are a number of surgeries that can be employed to raise a droopy eyelid.
Sometimes the eyelid(s) will droop because the eyeball is irritated or sensitive to light and the lid closes to protect the eye. Here the muscles work fine but the problem of the eyeball needs to be corrected so that the body and eyelid will stop feeling the need to protecting it. -
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A careful eye examination by an ophthalmologist is extremely important when symptoms occur. Inflammation inside the eye can permanently affect sight or even lead to blindness if it is not treated.
Your ophthalmologist will examine the inside of your eye. He or she may order blood tests, skin tests or X-rays to help make the diagnosis.
Since uveitis can be associated with disease in other parts of the body, your ophthalmologist will want to know about your overall health. He or she may want to consult with your primary care physician or other medical specialists.
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Dr. Aaron P. Weingeist, MD , Ophthalmology, answered on behalf of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmartSee All 2 AnswersUveitis (commonly called "iritis" when it involves the front of the eye) is inflammation of a specific group of tissues inside the eye (including one or more of the following: iris, ciliary body, and choroid). Symptoms may include: eye redness, light sensitivity, pain with focusing, blurry vision, or floaters. It can be associated with other systemic medical conditions and involve one or both eyes. Recurrences are not uncommon. Treatment may include medications delivered by drops, ointments, pills, infusions, injections around or in the eye, or special implants. Delay in diagnosis can make episodes more difficult to treat. See your eye doctor immediately if you believe that you have uveitis or iritis. -
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Symptoms of uveitis include:
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Pain
- Floaters
- Redness of the eye
A case of simple “red eye” may, in fact, be a serious problem of uveitis. If your eye becomes red or painful, you should be examined and treated by an ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.). -
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Uveitis has many different causes:
- A virus, such as shingles, mumps or herpes simplex
- A fungus, such as histoplasmosis
- A parasite, such as toxoplasmosis
- Related disease in other parts of the body, such as arthritis, gastrointestinal disease or collagen vascular disease such as lupus
- A result of injury to the eye
If you smoke, stop. Studies have shown that smoking contributes to the likelihood of developing uveitis.
In most cases of uveitis, the cause of the disease remains unknown.
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Dr. David R. Demartini, MD , Ophthalmology, answeredSee All 4 AnswersUveitis is inflammation in the uveal tissues (iris, ciliary body and choroid). There are many different causes for uveitis and the treatment depends on the cause. If it is infection such tuberculosis or herpes simplex virus then the antibiotics for this is the treatment. If the cause is an inflammatory disease such as sarcoid, rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's then often the treatment is the systemic treatment of the disease. If there is no known cause, or the eye is the only manifestation of the disease, then the eye can be treated alone, usually with topical steroid drops. Injections are becoming more common especially with intense or deep inflammation. Rarely, surgery is necessary to either get a better understanding of the cause of the inflammation or remove the residua of the inflammation. Cataracts, glaucoma or retinal problems can result for the disease and require even more surgery.
New types of oral and intravenous medications are being used to treat uveitis. These are given to the whole body for sometimes just an eye problem and caution is needed to avoid other side effects. -
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Lattice dystrophy gets its name from an accumulation of amyloid deposits, or abnormal protein fibers, throughout the middle and anterior stroma. During an eye examination, the doctor sees these deposits in the stroma as clear, comma-shaped overlapping dots and branching filaments creating a lattice effect. Over time, the lattice lines grow opaque and involve more of the stroma. They also gradually converge, giving the cornea a cloudiness that may also reduce vision.
In some people, these abnormal protein fibers can accumulate under the cornea''s outer layer-the epithelium. This can cause erosion of the epithelium. This condition is known as recurrent epithelial erosion. These erosions alter the cornea''s normal curvature, resulting in temporary vision problems, and expose the nerves that line the cornea, causing severe pain. Even the involuntary act of blinking can be painful.
To ease this pain, a doctor may prescribe eyedrops and ointments to reduce the friction on the eroded cornea. In some cases, an eye patch may be used to immobilize the eyelids. With effective care, these erosions usually heal within three days, although occasional sensations of pain may occur for the next six to eight weeks.
By about age 40, some people with lattice dystrophy have scarring under the epithelium, resulting in a haze on the cornea that can greatly obscure vision. In this case, a corneal transplant may be needed. Although people with lattice dystrophy have an excellent chance of a successful transplant, the disease may also arise in the donor cornea in as little as three years. In one study, about half of the transplant patients with lattice dystrophy had a recurrence of the disease from between 2 to 26 years after the operation. Of these, 15 percent required a second corneal transplant. Early lattice and recurrent lattice arising in the donor cornea respond well to treatment with the excimer laser.
Although lattice dystrophy can occur at any time in life, the condition usually arises in children between the ages of two and seven.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredOne contributor to a decline in vision is refractory problems. Simply, refractory problems like near-sightedness (meaning you only see close things) or far-sightedness (meaning you can only see far away) stem from irregularities in the shape of the eye.
The normal eye is a perfect sphere in which the cornea and lens focus light to form the image on the retina. In near-sighted people, the eye is too long from front to back, so when the light travels through, the image it carries doesn't come into sharp focus on the retina as it should--but on the middle of the eye. In far-sighted people, the eye is too short, so the image would only come into a sharp focus well in back of the retina.
Eyeglasses or contact lenses can alter the light coming into the lens of the so that it correctly focuses on the retina. Nine out of 10 people can improve their eyesight with a corrective form of treatment, like glasses.
It's said that the Roman emperor Nero would look through an emerald to help focus on gladiator fights, and that's thought to be one of the first inventions of eyeglasses. I'm sure no one dared to make a "three eyes" joke in his presence.