Do You Have a Common Eye Disorder?

Common Eye Disorders

If so, you’re in good company. Millions of Americans need to have their vision corrected, whether that’s through eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. If you are having trouble seeing well there’s no reason for you to just put up with it. Poor vision impacts your quality of life and may make it unsafe for you to do certain things. About eleven million Americans aged twelve and older could improve their vision through proper refractive correction, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 3.3 million aged forty and older are either legally blind or have low vision. The top reasons for blindness and low vision in the country are mostly related to age, including macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
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Refractive Errors

These are the most common sight problems in the country. They include myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (distorted vision at all distances) and presbyopia (inability to focus up close) which happens to those between the ages of forty and fifty. These conditions can be corrected by eyeglasses, contact lenses or sometimes surgery.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is an eye disorder closely associated with aging. It blurs your central vision. The disorder affects the macula, the central part the retina that allows us to see fine details. It’s estimated that there will be 2.95 million Americans with macular degeneration in 2020. It’s the top cause for permanent impairment of reading and fine or close-up vision among those 65 and older.

Cataract

Cataract is the clouding of an eye’s lens. It’s the leading cause of blindness worldwide and of vision loss in the US. Treatment for the removal of cataracts is widely available, including here at the Lehigh Valley Center for Sight. About 20.5 million Americans 40 and older have a cataract in one or both eyes with 6.1 million having had a lens removed through surgery.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common side effect of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness for American adults. Over time there is increasing damage to the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It normally affects both eyes. Early DR diagnosis and timely treatment reduce the chances of vision loss. About half of those with DR aren’t getting eye examinations or are diagnosed too late for effective treatment.

Glaucoma

This covers a group of diseases that harm the eye's optic nerve. Glaucoma has been traditionally tested by determining if normal fluid pressure inside the eyes has risen but recent studies show glaucoma may be present when there’s normal eye pressure. Early treatment can prevent serious vision loss due to glaucoma. It has two categories, “open angle” and “closed angle.” Open angle is a chronic condition that progresses slowly over a long period of time. Angle closure can appear suddenly and loss of vision can progress quickly. If you or a loved have questions or concerns about your vision, contact the Lehigh Valley Center for Sight at 610-437-4988 or fill out our contact form so we can start the conversation and work together to protect your sight. Houman Ahdieh, MD Lehigh Valley Center for Sight https://www.lvcenter4sight.com eyedoc@lvcenter4sight.com

https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/do-you-have-a-common-eye-disorder/

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