Vision Related Information |
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Astigmatism Means that the cornea is oval like a rugby ball instead of spherical like a tennis ball. Most astigmatic corneas have two curves, a steeper curve and a flatter curve. This causes light to focus on more than one point in the eye, resulting in blurred vision at distance or near. Astigmatism often occurs along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. The symptoms are Blurred vision at both near and far distances. Astigmatism can be corrected With glasses, contact lenses, or surgically. The most common surgeries used to correct astigmatism are astigmatic keratotomy (procedures that involve placing a microscopic incision on the eye) and LASIK. The objective of these procedures is to reshape the cornea so it becomes more spherical or uniformly curved. |
Amblyopia Is a term used to describe an uncorrectable loss of vision in an eye that appears to be normal. It’s commonly referred to as “lazy eye” and can occur for a variety of reasons. A child’s visual system is fully developed between approximately the ages of 9 -11. Until then, children readily adapt to visual problems by suppressing or blocking out the image. If caught early, the problem can often be corrected and the vision preserved, however, after about age 11, it is difficult if not impossible to train the brain to use the eye normally. |
Cataracts A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens, the part of the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear, sharp images. The lens is contained in a sealed bag or capsule. As old cells die they become trapped within the capsule. Over time, the cells accumulate causing the lens to cloud, making images look blurred or fuzzy. For most people, cataracts are a natural result of aging. |
Convergence Insufficiency This is a condition in which the muscles of the eye responsible for convergence (turning the eyes in) appear to be weak, at least relative to the muscles responsible for divergence (turning the eyes out). However, the patient's eyes remain straight in all fields of gaze. This results in "strained" eyes and the affected individual complains of headache, eyestrain, blurred vision, or fatigue with continued efforts at near work. This condition most commonly occurs in teenagers and young adults, though it can occur up through middle age. |
Longsightedness Occurs when light entering the eye focuses behind the retina, instead of directly on it. This is caused by a cornea that is flatter, or an eye that is shorter, than a normal eye. Farsighted people usually have trouble seeing up close, but may also have difficulty seeing far away as well. Young longsighted people are often able to see clearly because their natural lens can adjust, or accommodate to increase the eye’s focusing ability, however, as the eye gradually loses the ability to accommodate (beginning at about 40 years of age), blurred vision from longsightedness often becomes more apparent. |
Shortsightedness or Myopia Shortsightedness or myopia, occurs when light entering the eye focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This is caused by a cornea that is steeper, or an eye that is longer, than a normal eye. Nearsighted people typically see well up close, but have difficulty seeing far away. This problem is often discovered in school age children who report having trouble seeing the chalkboard. Near-sightedness usually becomes progressively worse through adolescence and stabilizes in early adulthood and is an inherited problem. |
