EYE CONDITIONS

Cataract

Cataract is the most common cause of gradual visual loss caused by clouding of the lens.  The symptoms you may experience if you have a cataract include impairment of vision, alteration of colour vision, difficult vision in brighter conditions due to increased glare and sometimes double vision.

Causes can be age related, due to metabolic disorders eg diabetes, steroid related, familial, congenital (at birth), trauma-related, or due to over exposure to infrared and/or UV

In the early stages glasses will often correct your vision satisfactorily but often surgery is eventually required.  Modern cataract surgery is often performed as a day case procedure under local anaesthetic.  Usually an incision of between 3-5mm is necessary and no stitches are required!

Glaucoma

In a normal healthy eye fluid (aqueous humour) is produced internally to keep the eye inflated.  It drains out gradually near the front of the eye, however if the drainage mechanism becomes blocked the fluid builds up pressure within the eye. The increased intraocular pressure eventually leads to disturbed blood supply of the optic nerve head and permanent damage to the nerve fibres. 

Historically glaucoma was hard to detect as it is usually painless.   Risk factors include race, previous history of disc damage, retinal nerve fibre layer defect and central retinal vein damage in the fellow eye.  Regular eye examinations will ensure your best hope of detecting glaucoma.

Treatment usually involves eye drops to reduce production or improve the outflow of aqueous humour, although surgery is sometimes required.

If you have glaucoma or are over 40 years and have a close relative with glaucoma, you are entitled to a free annual eye exam.

Diabetes

Recent advances in diabetic testing now mean that most cases of diabetes are detected by the GP.  Optometry’s role is now about monitoring for diabetic eye disease (retinopothy) and referring for treatment or further investigation.  Long term complications include retinal, kidney and lower limb problems and even today diabetic  retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among people of working age in the UK.

The retina is affected by changes to the smallest blood vessels (capillaries) which supply the retina.  Regular eye examinations are advised and at Jonathan Keys opticians we will also perform  retinal photography at every visit.  As these images can be compared year on year, even the smallest changes are discovered earlier, which in turn allows early intervention and a better outcome.

If you are diabetic you are entitled to a free annual eye exam.

Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration is a condition which leads to loss of central vision due to damage to the macula, a small area of the retina.  It is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50 years of age, affecting approximately 35% of people over the age of 75.  As we are all living longer the number of people affected by this condition is expected to double in the next 20 years.

Two types of macular degeneration exist, dry and wet.  Wet macular degeneration means that the changes also involve leaking blood vessels often resulting in rapid loss of central vision.  Dry macular degeneration usually causes a gradual deterioration of the macula over many years, however it can progress to wet macular degeneration.  Regular checkups are therefore very important. 

Symptoms can include impairment of central vision, straight lines appear wavy or objects distorted, difficulty reading and reduced colour vision.  Pre-determined risk factors include aging, family history of macular degeneration, gender (more common in women) light eye color and ethnicity.  We cannot improve the above risk factors however there are other risks for this disease which we have an opportunity to reduce if they are detected early and we modify our lifestyle.  These include smoking; poor diet lacking in fruit, vegetables and fish; obesity; exposure to light; high cholesterol; high blood pressure;  low intake of antioxidants (this can be improved by supplements including lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin).

Regular eye examinations will pick up most changes easily but if you have any concerns please phone for an appointment without delay as urgent referral is vital in some cases.