Maintaining your eye health and cherishing your eyesight is very important and should not be over looked. At O’Brien Vision Center, we offer diagnosis, treatment, and management of ocular diseases. Here is some information about common ocular diseases that we see most commonly in our patients.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which result in damage to the optic nerve and cause vision loss. The most common type is open-angle glaucoma with less common types including closed-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly over time and there is no pain. Peripheral vision may begin to decrease followed by central vision resulting in blindness if not treated. Closed-angle glaucoma can present gradually or suddenly. The sudden presentation may involve severe eye pain, blurred vision, mid-dilated pupil, redness of the eye, and nausea. Vision loss from glaucoma, once it has occurred, is permanent. At O’Brien Vision Center we have state of the art equipment to help in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
Pink Eye
Conjunctivitis which is commonly known as pink eye, refers to an infection or inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelid. This irritation or inflammation also covers the whites of the eyeball. Pink eye is usually a viral or bacterial infection however, it can also be an allergic reaction. Although there is rarely an impact with vision, patients find that pink eye is irritating. We offer treatments to decrease the discomfort and irritation of pink eye.
Styes and Chalazia
Two common ocular diseases that impact the eyelids are styes and chalazia. Styes are an infections or abscesses in eyelid glands, located by an eyelash follicle or root. Styes can be mistaken for chalazia. A chalazion is a blockage of one or more meibomian glands and are found in the upper and lower eyelids.
Dry Eye
Dry eye is a condition in which a person doesn’t have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision. Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in older adults.
With each blink of the eyelids, tears spread across the front surface of the eye, known as the cornea. Tears provide lubrication, reduce the risk of eye infection, wash away foreign matter in the eye and keep the surface of the eyes smooth and clear. Excess tears in the eyes flow into small drainage ducts in the inner corners of the eyelids, which drain into the back of the nose. Dry eyes can occur when tear production and drainage is not in balance.
People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or their tears are of a poor quality.
