My Optometrist

Quite often people are diagnosed with diabetes after having their eyes examined as one of the first signs is a fluctuation in vision from day to day. Another early diagnostic sign is bleeding at the back of the eyes which can be easily picked up through a routine eye examination. The problem associated, known as diabetic retinopathy, can lead to serious loss of vision if not monitored and treated early.

Glaucoma is a disease that destroys the optic nerve; the connection between our eyes and the brain. It occurs in about 9% of the population over 70 but can occur at any age but most commonly after the age of 50. The exact causes of glaucoma are not known.

It is believed to be caused by having too high a pressure inside the eye which damages the optic nerve producing a loss of peripheral vision primarily before affecting the central vision as it progresses to blindness.In some cases the drainage network of the eye may not be formed properly, or may become blocked by natural materials or due to injury; in other cases there is no clear cause for the increased pressure.

Macular Degeneration or Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a name given to a group of chronic and degenerative retinal eye diseases. It is the most common cause of blindness in the world at the moment. As its name implies, it is associated with ageing and cannot be reversed. It is caused by a deficiency in the recycling process of waste products in the part of the retina responsible for our central vision called the macula.

Pterygiums are triangular overgrowths of the membrane covering the white of the eye called the conjunctiva. This conjunctiva normally only covers the white of the eye but when it grows and invades onto the clear cornea of the eye, we call this a pterygium. It is strongly associated with exposure to UV radiation and hot, dry climates.

Most commonly caused by trauma, retinal detachments can lead to irreversible vision loss if not detected and treated early. The retina can be compared to the 'film in a camera' and once it is detached from the eye the tissue quickly dies and vision can not be restored once this occurs.

High amounts of myopia (short-sightedness) can also increase the risk of retinal detachment and so any person with a moderate to high amount of myopia should be routinely examined for weaknesses in the retina.The most common signs of a retinal detachment are flashing lights and black spots or floaters in your vision.