Eye Conditions

Myopia is the term used to define short sightedness, essentially it is the opposite of Hyperopia;  If you are Myopic you will have clear vision when looking at objects up close, but when looking in the distance your eyesight will be blurred. Myopia occurs because light from distance objects forms an image before it reaches the retina this is because the eye is too long or the cornea lens is too strong. Myopia is easily corrected by prescription glasses or contact lenses and also can be corrected by laser eye surgery. 

Our optometrist will be able to determine if you suffer from Myopia following  an eye test, this will also tell us what corrective prescription you need. With all this information we can recommend glasses or contact lenses suitable for you.

This is a normal condition relating to age and the loss of near vision. It occurs when the eye starts to struggle to focus on near objects. It isn’t harmful and will eventually affect everyone but because the effects happen over time it may not be noticeable at first. 

As the condition progresses you may start to struggle reading a newspaper or book close up or an arm’s length away. It usually starts to affect people over the age of 40, you may start having trouble seeing small print clearly including text messages on your phone. 

When you start to become effected by Presbyopia you may hold your smartphone or other objects and reading materials further away from your eyes, in order to see them more clearly. However by moving them further away it will only make the text appear smaller in size, which may mean eventually you cannot see it, therefore this is only a temporary solution for Presbyopia. 

Presbyopia can be easily solved with reading glasses made to your correct prescription, Bifocals and Varifocals are also an excellent solution as they eliminate the need to constantly switch between distance and reading glasses. If you feel you are starting to become presbyopic you can ring to book an appointment. 

Astigmatism is a common condition that causes blurred or distorted vision, it occurs when the cornea or lens isn’t perfectly curved shape. Astigmatism is the optical term for more than one point of focus. The cornea should be regularly curved like a football but if you have an astigmatism it has an irregular curve more like a rugby ball, therefore the light that enters the eye isn’t focusing properly creating a blurred image.

Astigmatism belongs to a group of related eye conditions known as refractive errors Myopia and Hyperopia are also part of this group.

Left untreated it can cause headaches, eye strain and tiredness, particularly after doing tasks that involve focusing on something for long periods of time. Eg. Reading or computer.

There are two types of astigmatism regular and irregular. Irregular astigmatism is often caused by a corneal scar or scattering in the crystalline lens and cannot be corrected by glasses but may be corrected by contact lenses. Regular astigmatism arising from either the corneal shape or the crystalline lens can be corrected by glasses or a toric contact lens. 

Astigmatism can be diagnosed after a routine eye test and corrected by prescription glasses or contact lenses. 

Astigmatism can affect your ability to read and concentrate which is why it is very important to have regular eye tests and ensure you are always wearing an up to date prescription.

Glaucoma is an eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, becomes damaged. It can lead to loss of vision if not detected and treated early.

It usually occurs when the fluid in the eye cannot drain properly which increases the pressure inside of the eye and puts pressure on the optic nerve. Because you often cannot feel the pressure and the damage happens slowly you may not know you have Glaucoma until a lot of the damage has been done. The best way to catch it early is to make sure you have regular eye examinations.

 A person with Glaucoma may see blurring around the outside of their vision but this usually happens when Glaucoma is well advanced. To avoid this you must catch it early. 

Anyone can develop Glaucoma however the risk goes up if you are:

- Aged 40 and over 

- Very short sighted 

- African or Caribbean origin 

- Closely related to someone with glaucoma

Glaucoma tends to run in families. If one of your parents, silblings or children has Glaucoma and you are 40 and over, you are entitled to a yearly FREE NHS test.

Glaucoma is a condition that can be managed and most people who suffer from Glaucoma lead perfectly normal lives.

There is no cure for Glaucoma but if your Optometrist suspects you have Glaucoma you will be referred to an Ophthalmologist who will be able to prescribe eye drops to use every day to reduce the pressure and control the build-up of fluid. It is very important to use the drops even if you cannot tell that they are helping. Any existing damage will be permanent but your sight can get much worse if you stop using the drops.

Macular Degeneration is a painless eye condition which can effect either or both eyes and causes progressive loss of central and detailed vision. 

The part of the eye that it effects is the macula which is part of the retina. It is 5mm across and is responsible for all central and detailed vision. Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common form although some forms affect younger people.

AMD causes the vision to become increasingly blurred which means reading becomes difficult, colours become less vibrant and people’s faces are difficult to recognise. The sight loss usually happens gradually however sometimes it can be rapid. It does not affect your peripheral vision (side vision) which means it will not cause complete blindness. 

It develops when the macula is unable to function as effectively as it used to, there are two types of AMD, Wet and Dry.

Dry Macular Degeneration

This is much more common than wet and is when yellow deposits known as drusen, build up behind the macula. This may in time affect your vision although it normally happens slowly. No treatment has been developed for dry MD yet. It does not tend to affect vision until it is well developed, taking many years usually.

Wet Macular Degeneration

Wet MD happens when abnormal blood vessels begin to grow behind the macula and leak fluid, this pushes the macula away from its blood supply at the back of the eye and causes rapid loss of vision. It is usually associated with noticing distorted vision (straight lines become wavy or you have a blank spot in the centre of your vision.) In some cases laser surgery can be used to destroy abnormal blood vessels or medication may prevent any more blood vessels from developing. The early diagnosis and treatment of wet MD is essential for reducing the risk of serve vision loss.

Cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye and can develop in both or just one eye. The lens that is affected by cataract sits behind the iris which is the coloured part of the eye, this lens is usually clear and helps you focus light to produce sharp images on the back of the eye, the retina. The lens becomes less transparent which leaves you with cloudy and misty vision. 

Cataract starts to happen as a person gets older, it gets worse over time and will start to affect their vison. Eventually the patient will need to have surgery to remove and replace the affected lens. 

Some symptoms may be unnoticeable at first as it develops over many years. The patient will usually have blurred, cloudy and misty vison and may have small spots or patches where vison is not as clear.

It may also affect your sight in the following ways;

- Finding it more difficult to see dim or very bright lights

- The glare from bright lights may be dazzling or uncomfortable to look at

- Colours may look faded or less clear

- Everything may have a yellow or brown tinge 

- Double vision 

- Glasses may become less affective over time

Cataract is not painful and will not irritated your eyes or cause them to go red.

Dry eyes is a common condition caused by a problem with your tears. It may be because your eyes do not produce enough tears or the tears you have evaporate too quickly. Your tears are made up of three layers, the outer layer is an oily layer which stops tears evaporating too quickly and the eyelids from sticking together. The middle layer is watery and provides moisture to the eye and helps wash away anything that gets into them. The layer closest to your eye helps to stick the layers to your eye and allows tears to wet your eye.

Dry eyes is a long term condition which means that once you have had it, it can come back even after it has cleared up. It often affect both eyes, it can make them feel scratchy or irritated and dry. In some serve cases it may temporarily make vision blurry. You may notice your eyes going red and feeling discomfort when looking at bright lights, Wearing contacts may also become uncomfortable. It is possible to be diagnosed with dry eyes even if your eyes are very watery this is because of a problem with one of the layers of tears. 

Although it can be quite uncomfortable and irritating it rarely causes any series damage and dry eyes can be easily treated and managed. 

Dry eyes can be treated by using drops, sprays, gels and ointments and most are available on prescription however our optometrist can recommend the best treatment for you following your appointment with us.

Conjunctivitis is a common and uncomfortable eye condition, it is an inflammation of the conjunctiva which is the thin layer that covers the white of the eye and inside of the eyelid.

It may cause discomfort and can affect one of both of the eyes. It may also spread from one eye to the other.

If you think you have conjunctivitis you may be suffering from 

- red eyes

- sticky discharge 

- bloodshot

- itchy eyes

- watery eyes

- eyes may burn or feel gritty

Conjunctivitis can be very contagious so it is very important to keep hands clean after touching your face. To stop infectious conguntivitis from spreading it is essential to wash pillows, face and clothes in hot water and detergent and ensure you wash hands regularly with soapy water. It is important to avoid wearing contact lenses until the eyes are better.

Conjunctivitis can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection. It can also be caused by seasonal allergies. 

In most causes it will clear up after a couple of weeks and mild symptoms can usually be treated with over the counter antibiotics from the pharmacist. 

Floaters can appear in different sizes and shapes like small black dots or strands. Floaters appear in the vitreous humour which is a jelly substance which helps hold the eyes shape. Because they ‘float’ in the jelly you may find that they move when your eye looks in different directions. You may only see them when looking at a light coloured surface or at the sky in the day.

Floaters are usually more common in short sighted people (myopic) however everyone can get floaters. As you get older the number of floaters can increase and occasionally this can be a sign of problems inside the eye. 

Flashes and an increase of floaters can sometimes be a sign of retinal detachment which needs treating as soon as possible.

If you get any of the following symptoms you should contact your optometrist or if out of hours seek attention from an eye casualty department. 

- A sudden increase in floaters, particularly if also notice flashing lights.

- A new large floater

- A change in floaters or flashing lights after you’ve had a direct blow to your eye

- A shadow spreading across the vision of one eye

Some people find floaters a nuisance but most people become used to them and your brain learns to ignore them. They rarely cause problems with your vison.

Flashes 

Some people may experience flashes of light in front of one of their eyes, like small sparkles, lighting or fireworks. These tend to be in extreme corners of your vision they may come and go and won’t obscure any part of your vision. They might not last for a defined length of time and may notice them more if you go from light to dark environment.

Flashes occur when there is a pull on your retina and happens when the jelly part of your eye becomes more liquid and collapses. Flashes can also occur if you are hit in the eye. Flashes are more likely to happen as you get older.

A retinal tear or retinal detachment may lead to a sudden increase in floaters and flashes if this happens you must seek immediate attention.