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Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Strabismus Leukocoria Glaucoma Occular Inflamation Eye Trauma Nystagmus
Amblyopia
Lazy eye (amblyopia) is a reduction in visual acuity that results from abnormal visual development during infancy and early childhood. Lazy eye usually affects just one eye, but it may affect both eyes. With lazy eye, there is no apparent damage or abnormality to the eye. Lazy eye is the leading cause of decreased vision among children. Left untreated, the loss of vision may range from mild to severe.
Lazy eye develops when nerve pathways between the brain and the eye aren't properly stimulated. This can lead to a condition in which the brain favors one eye, usually due to poor vision in the other eye. The weaker eye tends to wander. Eventually, the brain may ignore the signals received from the weaker — or lazy — eye.
Conservative treatments such as corrective eye wear or eye patches can often correct lazy eye.
Strabismus - more commonly known as cross-eyed or wall-eyed, is a vision condition in which a person cannot align both eyes simultaneously under normal conditions. One or both of the eyes may turn in, out, up or down. An eye turn may be constant (when the eye turns all of the time) or intermittent (turning only some of the time, such as, under stressful conditions or when ill). Whether constant or intermittent, strabismus always requires appropriate evaluation and treatment. Children do not outgrow strabismus!
Leukocoria - Leukocoria (also leukokoria) is an abnormal white reflection from the retina of the eye. Leukocoria resembles eyeshine, but leukocoria can occur in humans and other animals that lack eyeshine because their retina lacks a tapetum lucidum.
Leukocoria is a medical sign for a number of conditions, including Coats disease, congenital cataracts, corneal scarring, melanoma of the ciliary body,[2] Norrie disease, ocular toxocariasis, persistence of the tunica vasculosa lentis (PFV/PHPV), retinoblastoma, and retrolental fibroplasia.
Because of the potential life threatening nature of retinoblastoma, a cancer, that condition is usually considered in the evaluation of leukocoria.
Glaucoma - is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently impacting vision in the affected eye(s) and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye (aqueous humour).
The nerve damage involves loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern. There are many different sub-types of glaucoma but they can all be considered a type of optic neuropathy. Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma (above 21 mmHg or 2.8 kPa). One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.
Glaucoma can be divided roughly into two main categories, "open angle" and "closed angle" glaucoma. Closed angle glaucoma can appear suddenly and is often painful; visual loss can progress quickly but the discomfort often leads patients to seek medical attention before permanent damage occurs. Open angle, chronic glaucoma tends to progress at a slower rate and the patient may not notice that they have lost vision until the disease has progressed significantly.
Glaucoma has been nicknamed the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision normally occurs gradually over a long period of time and is often only recognized when the disease is quite advanced. Once lost, this damaged visual field cannot be recovered. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of blindness. It is also the leading cause of blindness among African Americans. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means.
Ocular inflammatory disease (OID) is a general term for inflammation affecting any part of the eye or surrounding tissue. Inflammation involving the eye can range from the familiar allergic conjunctivitis of hay fever to rare, potentially blinding conditions such as uveitis, scleritis, episcleritis, optic neuritis, keratitis, orbital pseudotumor, retinal vasculitis, and chronic conjunctivitis.
Broadly speaking, if inflammation develops in the eye(s), or in the optic nerve, blood vessels, muscles or other tissues that surround the eye, the resulting illness is classified as an ocular inflammatory disease (or OID for short).
The location of the inflammation governs the diagnostic name for the ocular inflammatory disease. For example, uveitis is inflammation in the uveal tract; scleritis is inflammation of the sclera, pars planitis is inflammation of the pars plana, and so forth.
Injuries involving the eyelids can be serious because the eyelids protect the eyes and keep them moist. A black eye results from blood collecting beneath the loose skin of the eyelids. The tear ducts, which lead from the eyes to the nose, may also be damaged by trauma to the eyelid. Injury to the tear duct interrupts the normal drainage of tears.
A common eye injury requiring medical care is a scrape of the outer surface of the eye known as a corneal abrasion. Fingernails, contact lenses, and paper edges frequently cause abrasions. Corneal abrasion may also be caused by airborne particles that strike the eye during drilling, hammering, or working with cars.
Chemical burns; damage can be minor and temporary (e.g., from hair spray) or severe and possibly blinding (e.g., from alkalis and acids). Many household products, such as drain and floor cleaners, contain alkali and should be used with extreme caution and be kept out of the reach of children. The leading cause of acid burns is an exploding car battery.
Blunt trauma occurs when the eye is struck with a finger, fist, racket, tennis ball, or other solid object. Such injuries produce damage to the eye as a result of the sudden compression and indentation of the globe that occurs at the moment of impact
Nystagmus – Pathologic is a form of involuntary eye movement. It is characterized by alternating smooth pursuit in one direction and saccadic movement in the other direction.
When nystagmus occurs without filling its normal function, it is pathologic (deviating from the healthy or normal condition). Pathological nystagmus is the result of damage to one or more components of the vestibular system, including the semicircular canals, otolith organs, and the vestibulocerebellum.
Pathological nystagmus generally causes a degree of vision impairment, although the severity of such impairment varies widely. Also, many blind people have nystagmus, which is one reason that some wear dark glasses.