Most common eye disease

There are millions of people worldwide who suffer from problems with their vision. The most common forms of problems related to vision are generally to do with age. For example, conditions such as age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma are common causes of visual difficulties. Other possible problems to do with eyesight include Strabismus and amblyopia.

Eye sight and eye problems

In the United States at least, the most common problems to do with the eyes are refractive errors. This includes problems such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Myopia refers to near sightedness, hyperopia to long sightedness, astigmatism to distorted vision, and presbyopia to an inability to focus correctly in certain situations. Often, eye glasses and contact lenses are used to address these problems. However, in some cases, it might be necessary to undergo some kind of surgery in order to properly treat the condition. It is thought that refractive correction could hold benefits for millions of people worldwide.

Another common problem that has already been mentioned is age related macular degeneration. As the name suggests, this condition develops with age and can lead to numerous problems in normal life. This condition primarily affects the central part of the retina. This is known as the macula. The condition can occur in two forms, wet or dry. Wet age-related macular degeneration occurs if blood vessels under the eyes begin to leak, while dry age related macular degeneration refers to the gradual weakening of the macula over time. This accounts for the majority of cases.

Cataracts lead to a clouding of the lens of the eye. This is a hugely common cause of blindness throughout the world. Treatment for this problem is widely available, but if treatment does not occur, then there may be a resultant loss of vision. Many Americans over forty years of age develop cataracts each year, and the number is believed to be increasing.

Diabetic retinopathy is intricately linked to the disease diabetes. In America, it is the leading cause of blindness in adults. This condition leads to a gradual, worsening damage of the sensitive tissue behind the eye. There are four, progressively worse stages of this condition, known as mild nonproliferative retinopathy, moderate nonproliferative retinopathy, severe nonproliferative retinopathy, and proliferative retinopathy. This condition normally affects both eyes in relatively equal measure, and can be avoided through the proper management of the underlying diabetic condition.