Education

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•   Dry eye syndrome is eye discomfort and/or damage to the cornea and conjunctiva due to a reduced quantity or quality of tears to moisten the eye. Approximately one in five Americans has dry eye syndrome.
•  Reduced secretions from the lacrimal (tear) glands or glands that produce oils and other components of the tear film are some causes. In other cases, infrequent blinking or eyelid abnormalities can also contribute to dry eye syndrome. As we get older, our tear glands produce significantly less tears; approximately 75 percent of people over the age 65 suffer from dry eye syndrome. Women are more at risk due to hormonal changes from menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, and menopause.
•  Diseases that can affect the body’s ability to produce tears include rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disease, asthma, and lupus. Medications that can cause dry eyes include antihistamines, decongestants, oral contraceptives, anti-hypertensives, ulcer medicines, and tranquilizers.
•  Exposure to smoke, wind, air pollution, air conditioning, and dry climates can increase the evaporation of tears, causing the eyes to dry. Failing to drink enough fluids may lead to dehydration, also causing eye dryness; alcohol and caffeine promote dehydration.

 Symptoms may include:

• Blurred vision
• Burning, itching, or redness in the eye
• Gritty or scratchy feeling in the eye
• Sensitivity to light

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual loss worldwide, and typically affects individuals 55 years of age or older. The disease affects the central part of the retina, called the macula. The macula is responsible for crisp, clear and colorful, central vision and enables reading, driving, sewing, and other tasks that require fine detail. 
•  Vision loss typically occurs gradually and can affect both eyes at different rates. Even though macular degeneration can cause visual impairment, the disease usually does not cause peripheral (side) vision loss or lead to total blindness.

Dry ARMD Symptoms include: 

• You need brighter light than normal when reading
• Text appears blurry
• Colours appear less vibrant
• You have difficulty recognising people's faces
• Your vision seems hazy or less well defined

Wet ARMD Symptoms include: 

• Visual distortions – for example, straight lines may appear wavy or crooked
• Blind spots – these usually appear in the middle of your visual field and become larger the longer they're left untreated

•  A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. 

•  Cataracts are most commonly due to aging but may also occur due to trauma or radiation exposure, be present from birth, or occur following eye surgery for other problems. Risk factors include diabetes, smoking tobacco, prolonged exposure to sunlight, and alcohol.Either clumps of protein or yellow-brown pigment may be deposited in the lens reducing the transmission of light to the retina at the back of the eye. 

• Diagnosis is by an eye examination. 

Cataract Symptoms:

•  Faded colors, blurry vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. This may result in trouble driving, reading, or recognizing faces.