What is Lazy Eye?

Amblyopia, also known as “lazy eye,” is the lack of normal visual development in an eye, despite the eye being healthy. If left untreated, it can cause legal blindness in the affected eye. About 2% to 3% of the population is amblyopic.

Lazy Eye signs and symptoms

Amblyopia generally starts at birth or during early childhood. Its symptoms often are noted by parents, caregivers or health-care professionals. If a child squints or completely closes one eye to see, he or she may have amblyopia. Other signs include overall poor visual acuity, eyestrain and headaches.

What causes amblyopia?

The most common cause […]

What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is one of the most common vision problems, but most people don’t know what it is.

Many people are relieved to learn that astigmatism is not an eye disease. Like nearsightedness and farsightedness, it is a type of refractive error – a condition related to the shape and size of the eye that causes blurred vision.

In addition to blurred vision, uncorrected it can cause headaches, eyestrain and make objects at all distances appear distorted.

Astigmatism signs and symptoms

If you have only a small amount of astigmatism, you may not notice it […]

What is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, occurring particularly at the lid margins. It’s a common disorder and may be associated with a low-grade bacterial infection or a generalized skin condition.

It occurs in two forms: anterior blepharitis and posterior blepharitis.

Anterior blepharitis affects the front of the eyelids, usually near the eyelashes. The two most common causes of anterior blepharitis are bacteria and a skin disorder called seborrheic dermatitis, which causes itchy, flaky red skin.

Posterior blepharitis affects the inner surface of the eyelid that comes in contact with the eye. It is usually caused by problems with the oil (meibomian) […]

What are Cataracts?

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away.

The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and allows light to pass through it. But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud […]

What is CMV Retinitis?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a sight-threatening disease associated with late-stage AIDS. In the past, about 25% of active AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) patients developed CMV retinitis. However, this figure appears to be dropping thanks to a potent combination of drugs that help restore the function of the immune system.

CMV retinitis signs and symptoms

When the cytomegalovirus invades the retina, it begins to compromise the light-sensitive receptors that enable us to see. This does not cause any eye pain, but you may see floaters or small specks and experience decreased visual acuity, distorted vision or decreased peripheral vision. […]

What is a Corneal Transplant?

A cornea transplant, which replaces damaged tissue on the eye’s clear surface, also is referred to as a corneal transplant, keratoplasty, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) or corneal graft.

A cornea transplant replaces central corneal tissue, damaged due to disease or injury, with healthy corneal tissue donated from an eye bank. An unhealthy cornea affects your vision by scattering light and causing blurred or distorted vision. In some cases, a cornea can be so damaged or scarred that a transplant is necessary to restore your functional vision.

Cornea transplants are performed routinely. In fact, of all tissue transplants, the most […]

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

If you have diabetes, you probably know that your body can’t use or store sugar properly. When your blood sugar gets too high, it can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. This damage may lead to diabetic retinopathy. In fact, the longer someone has diabetes, the more likely they are to have retinopathy (damage to the retina) from the disease.

In its advanced stages, diabetes may lead to new blood vessel growth over the retina. The new blood vessels can break and cause scar tissue to develop, which can pull the retina away from the back of the […]

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome (DES or “dry eye”) is the chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye. Its consequences range from minor irritations, to the inability to wear contact lenses and an increased risk of corneal inflammation and eye infections.

Signs and symptoms of dry eye

Persistent dryness, scratchiness and a burning sensation on your eyes are common symptoms of dry eye syndrome. These symptoms alone may be enough for your eye doctor to diagnose dry eye syndrome. Sometimes, he or she may […]

What are Eye Allergies?

Similar to processes that occur with other types of allergic responses, the eye may overreact to a substance perceived as harmful even though it may not be. For example, dust that is harmless to most people can cause excessive tear production and mucus in eyes of overly sensitive, allergic individuals. Eye allergies are often hereditary.

Allergies can trigger other problems, such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) and asthma. Most of the more than 22 million Americans who suffer from allergies also have allergic conjunctivitis, according to the American Academy of […]

What are Floaters and Spots?

Have you ever seen small specks or debris that looks like pieces of lint floating in your field of view? These are called “floaters,” and they are usually normal and harmless. They usually can be seen most easily when you look at a plain background, like a blank wall or blue sky.

Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous – the clear, jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye.

Floaters may look like specks, strands, webs or other shapes. Actually, what you are seeing are the shadows of floaters cast on […]