The eye produces a nourishing fluid called the aqueous humour. This fluid circulates around the tissues of the eye and drains away through outflow channels. ‘Normal’ Eye pressure is when the amount of fluid produced is balanced by the amount of fluid draining away. If the fluid in the eyes is not ‘balanced’ then the pressure inside the eye rises and this can lead to a glaucoma.
Glaucoma, if left untreated, causes damage to the optic nerve at the back of the eye, ultimately resulting in loss of vision.
Adult squint is a misalignment of both eyes and effects about 4% of the adult population
Squint surgery is a very common eye operation. It usually involves tightening or moving one or more of the outside eye muscles which move the eye. These muscles are attached quite close to the front of the eye under the conjunctiva, the clear surface layer. The eye is never taken out of the socket during surgery. Stitches are used to attach the muscles in their new positions. Squint surgery is nearly always a day case procedure so you should be in and out of hospital on the same day.
A cataract is a condition where the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy, hindering the transmission of light rays to the retina, leading to blurred, hazy vision or, in severe instances, loss of sight. Cataracts can make everyday activities like reading, driving, or seeing faces dull or less colourful.
Cataracts usually form slowly, and people experience a gradual blurring of vision
The central part of the retina (at the back of the eye) is called the macula and it has an important function as it controls the quality and sharpness of the central part of our vision.
Macular degeneration is a condition that affects the macula resulting in distortion or sometimes loss of central vision (not the peripheral vision) and this can cause problems, when it comes to everyday tasks such as reading and driving.
The good news is that the deterioration of vision usually happens quite slowly.
However, there are two types of macular degeneration – ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ – and what is known as the ‘wet’ form results in a sudden loss of central vision, which is a medical emergency and urgent treatment is needed.
The macula is a small, extremely important area at the centre of the retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye and is responsible for seeing fine details clearly. With AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), you lose the ability to see fine details and lose the ability to distinguish details. AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) affects only the central vision. Side and peripheral vision usually remains normal. For example, people with AMD gradually lose the ability to recognise people’s faces.
Astigmatism is a refractive condition in which the eye’s optical system is incapable of forming a point image for a point object (images are misconstrued).