Common eye conditions
- diabetic retinopathy
- dry eyes
- trichiasis
- floaters
Diabetic retinopathy - A condition found in those with type 1 or 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy occurs when excess glucose damages the blood vessels in the retina. These damaged blood vessels can swell and leak blood and other fluids into the retina, causing cloudy vision, and sometimes floaters or blurriness. Over time, symptoms increase in severity and you may experience dark spots or empty areas in your vision, or even vision loss
Dry eyes - After the age of 40, our tear production tends to decline. As a result, most people over the age of 65 experience some symptoms of dry eye, which can cause a stinging or burning sensation or gritty feeling in your eyes.
- Trichiasis - is a common condition associated with aging, where, because the eyelid skin loses elasticity, the eyelashes grow inward, toward the eye. The lashes can rub against the cornea or the conjunctiva (the thin inner surface of the lids), leading to irritation, such as redness and tearing, and light sensitivity or corneal abrasion.
Trichiasis can also develop because of an eye infection or a trauma to the eye. Treatment includes manually removing pesky lashes using a forceps-like device, an in-office procedure.
- floaters - Those tiny specks, strings and squiggles are usually harmless, caused by normal age-related changes in the vitreous, a gel-like fluid that fills the back of our eyes. If floater changes are minor or gradual, there is less cause for concern. But if you notice an increase in the number of floaters — or a sudden onset — see your eye doctor pronto.