.................................................................    
 

1. Amblyopia
2. Cataract
3. Chalazion
4. Macular Degeneration
5. Entropion and Ectropion
6. Strabismus
7. Glaucoma
8. Inflammation of the Eyelids
9. Floaters and Flashes
10. Obstruction of Lacrimal Canal
11. Sty
12. Pterigion
13. Diabetic Retinopathy

 
     
   
     
 
1. Amblyopia
 
     
 

It is the decrease of eyesight, usually in one eye. Sometimes the term lose eye is used.
Amblyopia is caused by any condition or illness that causes a blurry image that makes it impossible for the eyes to work together.
Children under the age of eight whose eyesight is still developing are most at risk. Generally, while the child grows his/her chances to develop amblyopia decrease.
This condition is very common and affects four out of one hundred persons. Amblyopia can be corrected only if it's treated in early childhood. Parents must be attentive of their child's eyesight treatment, his/her sight as an adult will depend of the treatment he/she receives as a child.

Treatment:

Each child is different. The doctor will explain the best treatment for your child. It will depend of the child's age and the cause. Some treatment methods consist in the use of glasses, a patch, eye drops, as well as surgery.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
2. Cataract
 
     
 

A cataract is an opacity that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye, which is usually clear and transparent; it can be compared with a window with ice frost or steam.
The size and form of the opacity of the lens can vary. If the opacity is not close to the center of the crystalline, it is possible that you do not even suspect you have a cataract.
The most common cataract is related to natural aging of the eye. Other cataract causes are due to lesions in the eye, medical problems, for example diabetes and medicines, such as steroids, long exposure to sunrays without any protection, prior ocular surgery and inheritance.

Treatment:

Surgery is the only way your ophthalmologist can eliminate a cataract. Nevertheless, if the symptoms of a cataract are minimum, it is possible that a simple change of graduation in your glasses will be sufficient for you to see comfortably.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
3. Chalazion
 
     
 

It is a chronic inflammation of the meibomian gland (in the eyelids), usually resulting in a painless inflammation for some weeks.
It generally begins as a light inflammation or hyper sensibility similar to sty; the difference is the absence of acute inflammatory signs. The majority of chalazions appear towards the conjuntive surface, which can be lightly reddened or elevated.

Treatment:

The primary treatment is warm compresses and ointment antibiotics, if there is no response in a couple of weeks it will be necessary to remove it surgically, which is done at the doctor's office with local anesthesia, the majority of the procedures do not require stitches.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
4. Macular Degeneration
 
     
 

The macular degeneration is a lesion or decomposition of the macula. The macula is a small area in the retina, located in the posterior part of the eye that allows it to clearly see fine details and do certain activities such as reading and driving a vehicle. When the macula does not function correctly, your central vision can become affected by the formation of blurry images, with dark or deformed areas. The macular degeneration affects the capacity to see near and far object; some activities (such as threading a needle or reading) become difficult or even impossible.
The macular degenerative reduces the central vision of the retina; it does not however, affect the lateral or peripheral vision of the eye.

Treatment:

Even though medical research is being undertaken, there still does not exist a cure for “dry” macular degeneration. Some doctors consider nutritional supplements can slow the macula degeneration, but it has not been proven.
Some types of “wet” macular degeneration can be treated with laser surgery, a short and usually painless procedure.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
5. Entropion and Ectropion
 
     
 

It is an inadequate position of the upper or lower eyelids. The entropion is the internal turning of the eyelid (where the eyelashes are practically inside the eye). It can be caused for several reasons; the main one is aging, the eyelids' tissue (mainly the inner eyelid) become flaccid permitting the rotation of the eyelid towards the ocular globe. Other causes for the entropion can be due to a scar that affects the eyelids, congenital (from birth). This problem causes the irritation of the cornea and stimulates ulcers.
The ectropion is the opposite, it is the turning of the eyelids outward, it can be bilateral, and it is frequently seen in older people. It is caused by the relaxation of the tissues that form the eyelid.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
6. Strabismus
 
     
 

Strabismus means the eyes of the child cannot be in a straight position. The eyes steer towards the center (crossed) or towards the outside, or it can be that one eye steers up and the other down. One or both eyes can be affected when comparing one eye to the other.
The majority of us see an object with both eyes at the same time. This is referred to as normal binocular vision. Children with strabismus have binocular vision problems. They cannot use both eyes at the same time; therefore the eyes are not in the same direction.

Treatment:

Each eyesight problem in a child is different and each child needs a special treatment. The treatment can be a combination of glasses, drops, patch, ocular exercises or surgery.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
7. Glaucoma
 
     
 

Glaucoma is an illness that causes damage to the optical nerve. When the light enters the eye it focuses an image in the retina, the delicate nervous layer that covers the inside of the wall behind the eye. The retina then transforms the luminous images into electric impulses that are transported to the brain by the optic nerve. If the entire nerve is destroyed, the loss of eyesight occurs.
Normally, the cause for glaucoma is an increase in the pressure of the liquid in the eyes. The high pressure causes damage to the optic nerve, resulting in permanent blindness.

Treatment:

The most common treatment is the use of medicine in the form of eye drops and pills. Some medicines allow a faster drainage of the liquid in the eye while others reduce the production of liquid. In some cases, laser treatment is used to control glaucoma.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
8. Inflammation of the Eyelids
 
     
 

Known as Blepharitis, which is a chronic inflammation that affects the line of the eyelashes and the glands that surround them. Blepharitis can be staphylococcus or seborrheic, nevertheless, the combination of the two is frequent (mixed infection). Patients with seborrheic problems in the scalp, eyebrows and ears are frequently related with seborrheic blepharitis.
The typical symptoms are irritation, ardor and itching around the eyelashes. There can also be flaking attached to the eyelashes. In staphylococcus blepharitis, inflammation in the exterior portion of the eyes and the line of the eyelashes is very common; the flakes are dry and the eyelashes tend to fallout. In the seborrheic type the flakes are oily, there are no ulcers and the borders of the eyelids are les reddened.

Treatment:

The main treatment must be directed with adequate hygiene, they must be kept clean, with a non-irritant shampoo such as baby shampoos.
Staphylococcus blepharitis is treated with an antibiotic ointment, applied daily in the borders of the eyelids. If not treated correctly this type of blepharitis can get complicated and turn to chalazion, conjunctive and cornea inflammation.
In seborrheic blepharitis, the treatment is directed to the main seborrheic condition.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
9. Floaters and Flashes
 
     
 

It is possible that sometimes you see little dots or clouds that move through your visual scope. They are referred to as floaters. They are usually observed when focusing on a background, like a wall or a blue sky. Floaters are tiny pieces of the gelatin substance or cells of the humorous vitreo, the transparent and gelatin like liquid that fills the interior chamber of the eye. Even though these objects appear to be in front of the eye, they are actually floating inside. What you perceive are shadows projected in the retina, which is the nerve coat located in the back part of the eye and that is sensible to the light, allowing you to see. Floaters can have different shapes: small dots, circles, lines, clouds and webs.
When the humorous vitreo rubs the retina or attaches to it, you could see something similar to flashings or rays of light. Flashes can appear and disappear for several weeks or months, they become more common as we get older. If you suddenly see flashes or rays of light, it is recommended you immediately seek your ophthalmologist's attention to evaluate if the retina has suffered any tearing.
Some people see flashes in both eyes with the appearance of dented lines or heat waves that can last 10 to 20 minutes, known as migraines. If the flashes are accompanied by a headache, the episodes are known as cephalic migraines.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
10. Obstruction of Lacrimal Canal
 
     
 

The obstruction of the lacrimal canal can be caused by many reasons, such as incorrect development at birth (congenital dacryocystitis), severe and recurrent ocular infections, nose fracture or surgery; the obstruction can be total or partial.
The congenital obstruction of the lacrimal canal is generally unilateral and manifests by the dripping of the tear towards the cheek of the affected side, it usually presents since birth or shortly after; another symptom can be secretion (lema) and in cases when the lacrimal sac gets infected the child can present inflammation, pain, redness and hyper sensibility in the area of the lacrimal sac (between the nose and the eye).

Treatment:

This type of obstruction can disappear without treatment during the first months of the child's life; in other cases it is necessary to teach the family how to massage the area of the lacrimal sac to obtain permeability and avoid chronic obstruction. The infectious process must be treated with oral and intravenous antibiotics, depending on the case. Surgery is the definitive treatment to correct the obstruction.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
11. Sty
 
     
 

Sty is the infection of the eyelid glands. The main symptoms are pain, redness and inflammation. The intensity of the pain depends on the severity of the inflammation of the eyelid, it is divided in two, internal sty that can points at the skin or the conjunctive surface and the external sty that always points towards the skin.

Treatment:

The main treatment is the application of warm compresses several times per day for 10 -15 minutes. Ointment antibiotics can be used when there is pain and a possible infection. If the lesion persists as a white nodule, surgical treatment will be necessary (incision and drainage of the purulent matter).

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
12. Pterigion
 
     
 

The Pteregion is a fleshy triangular penetration over the cornea, either in the nasal side (most frequent one) or temporal side, in both eyes. It is an irritation caused by ultraviolet light, dryness and wind (sun, wind and dirt) most frequent on persons that spend most of their day outside. It is an elastic and yellow tissue, the area is reddened due to the increase of the vascular tissue. Its slow growth is accompanied by periods of inflammation and irritation, with the sensation of having a foreign object inside the eye, light causes discomfort when exposed to adverse environments.

Treatment:

Surgery removal and placement of a graft obtained from the conjunctive of the same eye to avoid any recurrences.

» ir arriba

 
   
     
 
13. Diabetic Retinophaty
 
     
 

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, your body does not use nor store sugar the correct way, the high levels of sugar in the blood can damage the retina's blood vessels (the nerve coat in the eye that perceives light and helps send messages to the brain). The damage to the retina's blood vessels is known as diabetic retinopathy.

Treatment:

The best treatment is to work to avoid the development of retinopathy. A strict control of sugar in the blood will significantly reduce the long-term risk of going blind due to diabetic retinopathy.

» ir arriba

 
Fundación CODET para la Prevención de la Ceguera, I.B.P.
Tijuana, B.C. México
|
|
|
Pathologies
|
|
|