- The ability to see fine details when one is looking directly at an
object, no matter how close or far away it is, starts to decline
- Vision changes so that straight lines look wavy or broken
- Dark spots, lines, or shadows appear in your field of view
There is no cure for macular degeneration, but several possible
treatments can slow vision loss and help a person keep useful vision for many
years if they are started early enough.
Diabetic eye disease
As we age, our risk for developing diabetes increases. One of
the major effects of diabetes is to make blood vessels "leaky".
The retina (the layer of nerve cells that lines the inside of
the back of the eye) has a layer of blood vessels. When diabetes makes these
blood vessels leak, fluid can build up in the retina. This can blur vision.
Eventually, the blood vessels can break open and bleed, and new blood vessels
will grow to take their place. All of this can cause permanent loss of vision.
The best way for someone with diabetes to prevent the loss of
vision is to follow the doctor’s advice about control of blood sugar, blood
pressure, diet, exercise and medication, and to schedule an eye examination at
least once a year.
Cataracts
The eye contains a lens that focuses light so we can see.
Sometimes this lens turns cloudy, and this is called a cataract. Most
cataracts are a normal result of aging, although they can be caused by injury or
other medical conditions. The only treatment is to surgically remove the clouded lens.
Cataract surgery is usually performed with local anesthesia.
That is, the patient is awake but does not feel the procedure. The surgeon will
make a small opening in the front of the eye so the cloudy lens can be removed
and replaced by a new clear plastic lens.
Almost 2 million people per year in the United States have
cataract surgery and receive an intraocular lens. It is the most frequently
performed operation in the world, and also one of the most successful.