Eye Disease Symptoms

You should know the most common eye disease symptoms, so you can get an eye exam if your experience any of them. Here are some of the most common eye diseases and the symptoms that go along with them.

Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions. The disease clouds the eye's lens, and they are quite common as we age. If you reach age 80, you'll have a more than 50 percent chance of having cataract surgery. Some of the most common symptoms of cataracts are blurry or cloudy vision, colors that aren't vibrant, double vision, glare, inability to see well at night, and frequent changes in your prescription glasses or contacts. Often these symptoms show themselves very slowly, so you really have to pay attention if you develop any of these cataract symptoms.

Glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness in the United States, so it's crucial to know what to look for in this disease. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve in the eye, due to pressure from fluid in the eye. Often, there are no real symptoms, so you need to have an eye exam every year to help detect it. There are some people who have a higher risk of getting glaucoma, including people who have a family history of the disease, African-Americans over 40, and anyone over 60, particularly Mexican-Americans.

Retinal disorders affect the retina at the back of the eye that's responsible for your sharp central vision and seeing detail. There are several retina disorders that can affect the retina.

• Retinal detachment - this is a medical emergency that occurs when the retina pulls away from the back of the eye for some reason. Symptoms can include blurred vision, bright lights flashing in your side vision, and floaters in the eye, and a shadow or partial blindness in part of one eye.
• Macular pucker - this is scar tissue on the macula, which is located in the center of the retina, and it most commonly occurs in people over 50. The symptoms include vision loss, blurry vision, and straight lines that bend or wave. Some people develop a blind spot, and find it hard to read small print or work in fine detail.
• Macular hole - this is a small break or tear in the macula that usually occurs in people over 60. Sometimes in a detached retina, this occurs, creating a hole in the macula. The symptoms are burred and distorted vision, similar to the macular pucker.
• Floaters - these are cobwebs or specks in your vision, often them move up and down or across your eye. They're caused by debris that's floating in the eye's vitreous fluid. Usually, they're not harmful, but if they start to increase, you see them more in dim situations, or the vision gets blurry, it's time to see a doctor about them