Most Common Eye Problems — Causes & Treatment

Our vision is truly a blessing. Many of us take this for granted. However, people with permanent blindness know its actual importance. 

Many eye problems and vision disorders begin from manageable symptoms such as redness, irritation, discharge, or light sensitivity. Our children and old-aged people are more prone to such issues. If ignored, such problems can cause drastic losses to the vision.

Let us read about all these common eye problems and understand the possible causes to get rid of them for a lifetime.

Common Eye Problems In Children

Children develop their vision as they grow. But they become accessible to several eye issues with age. Here are some common eye problems in kids that you must be careful about:

• Amblyopia Or Lazy Eye

It is a condition where your child’s brain fails to process input from one eye and starts avoiding it over time. Some symptoms of this disease include head tilting, squinting, and low depth perception. Your eye doctor might recommend wearing glasses, eye patches, or having surgery to correct this condition. 

• Astigmatism, Farsightedness, and Nearsightedness

These eye problems result in abnormalities in the eye surface and prohibit light from focusing on the retina. You can treat these conditions by wearing prescribed glasses. 

• Strabismus

It is a condition where the eyes do not align well while concentrating on a subject. Sometimes, kids have strabismus by birth or evolve this situation during childhood. The disorder can get treated at an initial stage using eye exercises, patches, and glasses. 

• Pediatric Cataract

Children can get cataracts too. 

Yes, you read it right. It is one of the common eye problems in babies. In this situation, the eyes appear cloudy, which leads to blurred perception. 

Regarding the treatment, you need to ask your pediatric eye specialist about the severity of the disease since some kids need surgery to correct it.

Toddlers face many problems when it appears to their vision. The most common eye problems in toddlers and infants include eye allergies that get caused by pets, pollen, and mold. If you discover your infant’s eyes are watering, dry or irritated, it could be a hint of allergies.

Further, it includes the problem of pink eye that gets caused by bacteria, viruses, or irritants. It can result in significant eye damage if not treated in time.

Common Eye Problems In Adults And Elderly People

Here are some eye situations that may develop when people age:

• Presbyopia

It indicates the failure to see close things or small text. The development of presbyopia is an ordinary process that occurs after 35. You can correct this condition by wearing reading glasses or bifocal lenses.

• Dry Eyes

Dry eyes happen when tear glands stop making sufficient tears or produce poor-quality tears. They can be painful and cause stinging, burning, or partial vision loss. You can use a humidifier or eye drops that reproduce actual tears.

• Watery Eyes

You may also face the problem of producing too many tears. It can appear when you are sensitive to wind, light, or temperature changes. To protect your eyes from this situation, wear sunglasses or prescribed glasses.

• Glaucoma 

The most common eye problem with age is glaucoma. It is a disorder that influences the optic nerve of the eyes. It commonly occurs when the natural flow of the watery fluid between the cornea and lens gets blocked, resulting in excess fluid and pressure. If you do not get it treated early, it can lead to blindness.

• Conjunctivitis

This condition can result from infection or exposure to irritants. The white part of your eye gets swollen under it. Moreover, it can cause burns and itching in your eyes.

• Temporal Arteritis

It is another common eye problem in the elderly that can cause significant damage to your body. It occurs when arteries throughout your body get obstructed or infected. 

This disorder can begin with a terrible headache or unexpected vision loss in one eye. Other symptoms involve weight loss, joint pain, and a fever.

• Diabetic Retinopathy

This situation occurs more in diabetic patients. It negatively impacts the retina by damaging the blood vessels that strengthen the retina. This defect can induce permanent vision loss and thus requires adequate attention. 

• Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is another common eye problem in elderly people. It happens when the macula (central part of the retina) scrapes down. Such a condition does not result in blindness but might induce severe vision difficulties.

Common Eye Problems After Cataract Surgery

In most cases, cataract surgery goes smoothly. You come out with adequate vision and heal without any problems. But like every surgery, there are some risks you may encounter after having it. Some of them include:

• Inflammation, redness, and swelling after surgery. If these last longer than expected, get eye drops or medicines to take care of them.
• After cataract surgery, you may have a high chance that the retina pulls away from the back of the eye. Such a condition could cause vision loss and require you to see a doctor immediately.
• When your doctor removes cloudy lenses in cataract surgery, some portions may drop into your eye and get left. Tiny parts are not an issue, but huge parts can be. It can result in blurry or double vision.
• Surgery can prompt posterior vitreous detachment, where you start to see moving spider webs and hazes in your vision.
• Droopy eyelids or ptosis is a common situation after cataract surgery. The exact causes of such a situation are still unknown, but it generally clears out on its own. If it remains more than six months, you may require another surgery.

Common Eye Problems With Contacts

Contact lenses are very easy and safe to use. But they include the risk of eye infections. The most common eye infection prompted by wearing lenses is called Keratitis. 

Keratitis is an infection that can scrape your cornea surface and cause severe disorders. It develops if you do not clean your lenses properly. It can also occur if you wear contact lenses at night or lenses that do not fit well.

In severe cases, such an infection can induce blood vessels to develop in your cornea and lead to scarring. To avoid such problems, you can take the following steps:

• Always use the prescribed cleaning solution for cleaning the lenses.
• Have regular eye tests to know if you need to change your prescription. 
• Do not wear contact lenses while sleeping unless you have special lenses for overnight use.

Common Eye Problems In Dogs And Cats

Several ophthalmic conditions are behind the eye problems in cats and dogs. Such situations can occur in their life at any time and cause severe damage. Here is the breakdown of eye situations for your pet that you must be aware of:

• Eye infections due to viruses or bacteria. 
• Conjunctivitis or pink eye is a common eye problem in puppies.
• Corneal ulcers can result in squinting, light sensitivity, and redness in the eyes.
• Retinal issues occur due to health problems that cause high blood pressure and kidney diseases.
• Excessive tearing when your pet’s eye is infected or in pain.
• Goopy eyes or discharge are another common eye problem in cats and dogs.

Less Common Eye Problems For Dogs And Cats

• Cherry Eye

It is a situation where a small gland in your eye moves out from its normal position, resulting in inflammation and redness in the eyes.

• Glaucoma

Glaucoma can cause rapid vision loss in your pet. So this seeks immediate professional treatment.

• Ectropion

It is a situation when the eyelid twirls outward and uncovers the inner conjunctiva. 

• Cataracts

Cataracts develop when the lens of your pet eye thickens, building a clouding inside the eye. 

• Iris Melanoma

It is a rare but brutal condition in cats and dogs where the iris develops a growth of infection.

It feels very uneasy when your pet starts experiencing health issues as age progresses. Detecting the symptoms in time can help reduce the chances of more severe problems.

The Final Word

An adequate vision enables you to interact with the people around you appropriately. 

If you notice symptoms of the above common eye problems, consult your eye doctor right away. Your eye doctor will conduct the necessary tests to prescribe eyewear or medication to enable you to see your best.

Have questions? Write to us in the comments below.