Ophthalmologists point out that many eye diseases do not produce pain, especially in the early stages, so people often fail to notice resulting gradual vision changes. It is imperative that individuals schedule regular eye examinations to detect serious problems in the early stages.
There are many symptoms that warrant an immediate call to an ophthalmologist. Among these are dark spots in the field of vision, perceived distortion of objects, red or burning eyes or a discharge from the eyes, a change in the color of the iris, clouded or double vision, crossed eyes or difficulties in focusing.
These symptoms are most often caused by the following eye diseases:
1. Age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects more than 2 million Americans and is a leading cause of vision loss in the U.S., according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). AMD stems from a physical problem in the cells in the middle of the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for making objects in the central field of vision appear sharp and clear.
Symptoms of AMD include visual distortion of straight lines, blurry vision close-up or far away, or dark spots or an empty-appearing space in the center of the field of vision. A patient with AMD may also have difficulty adapting when moving from a well-lit environment into a dimmer one.
People with lighter skin tones and lighter eyes tend to develop AMD more often than others do. Age, genetics, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure may also play a role in the development of AMD. Also at higher risk are people with diets low in antioxidants.
2. Cataracts
Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to grow more opaque until vision becomes “cloudy”. Cataracts are a degenerative and often age-related condition that can progress slowly and without obvious symptoms such as redness or pain.
While some cataracts do not increase in size and affect vision, others do progress, causing a person’s vision to become worse over time and eventually leading to blindness. Some cataract patients describe seeing “halos” surrounding objects in their field of vision. Other indications of cataracts include light sensitivity, decreasing night vision, changes in color perception or double vision.
Cataract surgery, in which a physician replaces the patient’s diseased lens with an artificial one, typically results in a complete or almost complete restoration of vision.
3. Glaucoma
With glaucoma, fluid cannot easily drain from the eye. The build-up of fluid puts pressure on the optic nerve and reduces the field of vision.
The word “glaucoma” refers to several diseases that all involve excess pressure on the eye. Primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, progresses slowly without pain and with few, if any, other symptoms. The rarer form, acute angle-closure glaucoma, causes a sudden onset of a variety of symptoms, including pain, headaches, nausea, blurry vision and multicolored “halos” around objects.
If untreated, open-angle glaucoma can lead to permanent blindness. Because of the rapid progression of acute angle-closure glaucoma, immediate treatment is vital to prevent an equally rapid total loss of vision.
Glaucoma is more common in people over age 40 and in African-American and Latino populations. Risk factors for glaucoma include genetics, diabetes, poor circulation, farsightedness and nearsightedness.
Ophthalmologists commonly use prescription eye medication as a first step in treatment of glaucoma, with laser surgery an additional option.
4. Detached retina
The retina is the thin, light-sensitive layer of tissue located in the back of the eye and is responsible for the transmission of images from the eye to the brain. When a patient’s retina detaches from its underlying layers of nerve tissue, this function becomes interrupted.
Retinal detachment is typically painless, but patients often describe their visual world as having a gray curtain drawn across it. Other symptoms include shadows appearing in the area of peripheral vision, a sizable number of new “floaters” or flashing floaters.
Treatment for retinal detachment may involve laser surgery or other procedures that anchor the retina in place. With early treatment, retinal detachment does not need to result in blindness. Untreated, the condition typically leads to significant vision loss or irreversible blindness.
5. Uveitis
When the vascular middle layer of the eye — the uvea — becomes inflamed, ophthalmologists usually diagnose uveitis. Uveitis can be infectious or non-infectious.
Symptoms of uveitis often include eye redness with pain, blurry vision and unusual sensitivity to light. Other symptoms are the appearance of new “floaters” and a decreased visual field. The symptoms may come on suddenly or the condition may appear gradually and without symptoms.
People with compromised immune systems, such as those with rheumatoid arthritis or AIDs, are more prone to developing uveitis. In many cases, there is no obvious cause for the onset of the disease, although some patients develop it after undergoing eye surgery.
The treatment for uveitis depends on the type of uveitis. Treatment may include medicated eye drops, anti-inflammatory injections, steroids or surgery.
Scheduling an annual eye examination with an ophthalmologist is the best way to catch eye diseases without symptoms in the earliest stages. Otherwise, as soon as you notice any unusual symptoms, call the ophthalmologist immediately. Doing so often results in a speedier resolution of the discomfort and the eye problem. Most important, early detection may help save your vision.
