Did you know that over 12 million people over the age of 40 in the US suffer from vision impairment?
Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect the health of your eyes so you don’t end up with vision impairment. However, it’s important to understand that vision impairment isn’t the only health issue people face with their eyes.
Check out this guide to learn about the most common eye problems.
1. Cataracts
Cataracts are the formation of cloudy areas in the lens of your eye. When light passes through your eye, it does so through your lens and into your retina, where the image is processed.
However, if you have cataracts affecting your eyes, light is unable to pass through the retina smoothly. As a result, you’re unable to see clearly and there might be a glare or halo around lights at night.
Antiglare sunglasses, new eyeglasses, and magnifying lenses can help during the early stages of cataracts.
2. Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is another very common eye problem. In fact, over ten million people across the US are affected by macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration refers to damage in a certain portion of the retina, known as the macula. Our macula helps us view objects in detail, read, drive, recognize faces and colors, and process detailed images.
While there is no cure for macular degeneration, there are some prescription medications you can take to help slow the growth of it.
3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve in your eye is damaged. Typically, this results in a fluid in your eye due to pressure buildup. This fluid can potentially cause damage to the optic nerve that’s responsible for transmitting images to the brain.
This can eventually lead to permanent vision loss if it continues for a long period of time. In some cases, glaucoma can even result in permanent complete blindness if it’s left untreated for a few years or more.
There usually aren’t any definite symptoms early on, which is why it’s so important to schedule regular visits with your eye doctor. In later stages, people typically experience tunnel vision as well as a loss of peripheral vision.
Eye drops, pills, laser surgery, and traditional surgery can all help with glaucoma.
4. Birdshot Chorioretinopathy
Often referred to as birdshot uveitis or just birdshot, birdshot chorioretinopathy is actually an autoimmune disease that results in blurred vision.
Birdshot occurs when the body has an immune response to the retina’s antigens. As the disease progresses, people experience vision distortion, issues with seeing color, trouble with peripheral vision, loss of depth perception, and more.
You can check out LYF FIT to learn more about this eye problem.
Common Eye Problems: Time to Act
These common eye problems can affect anyone. The best way to prevent them is to take care of your eyes and to schedule annual checkups with your eye doctor. Be sure to check back in with our blog for more tips and tricks related to eye health.
