Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management in Cambridge

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that can damage your central vision. The macula is the part of your retina that is used for central vision. Abilities like reading and recognizing faces are the role of your macula. As you grow older, however, the macula can start to deteriorate. There are two common forms of this disease:

• Dry AMD is the gradual deterioration of your macula as you age. Your risk of developing this increases if you smoke or have diabetes.
• Wet AMD is less common but more serious. This can happen when abnormal blood vessels begin to develop beneath the macula. These vessels are weak and can break, leaking blood and fluids into the macula. This can happen abruptly and can cause rapid vision loss. Wet AMD is considered to be a medical emergency.

Glaucoma is a progressive disease of the optic nerve. It generally develops as a result of raised intraocular pressure (IOP). The most common forms of glaucoma include:

• Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. It occurs when blockages begin to form in the drainage system of your eye, also known as the trabecular meshwork. These blockages prevent fluid from draining, leading to an increase in your IOP levels, putting pressure on the optic nerve which, in turn, can cause permanent vision damage.
• Closed-angle glaucoma, sometimes called angle-closure glaucoma, isn’t as common as open-angle glaucoma, but it is far more serious and occurs suddenly. When the angle between your cornea and iris closes off completely, it cuts off the drainage of intraocular fluid from the eye.This then causes a rapid rise of IOP. Symptoms include the sudden onset of a headache, eye pain, blurred vision, and even nausea. This is considered to be a medical emergency.

Cataracts are a common eye condition that can develop over time simply as a result of ageing. As you grow older, the crystalline lens of your eye can become denser, less flexible, and less transparent. This results in a milky, cloudy haze in your lens that could impair your vision. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you could be recommended stronger glasses or you could be recommended for cataract surgery to replace the cloudy lens.

Conjunctivitis, more commonly known as pink or red eye, is an eye condition that affects the conjunctiva of your eye, the thin layer that covers your eye and lines the underneath of your eyelid. There are 3 common types of conjunctivitis:

• Viral conjunctivitis. This type is highly contagious and is caused by contracting a virus. It doesn’t necessarily need treatment, but a visit to an optometrist can help give you effective management options.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis. This is contracted by bacteria and usually requires antibiotics to cure effectively. This version of the disease is also highly contagious, so visit an optometrist as soon as you can for relief and to stop the spread of the disease.
• Allergic conjunctivitis. This happens if you have allergies to dust, pollen, or pet hair, for example. If you are experiencing an allergic reaction, you can manage your symptoms through eye drops or allergy medications, but see your optometrist for a definitive diagnosis.