A cataract is what we call the lens in the eye when it goes cloudy. The lens is about the size and shape of a Smartie and sits behind the iris, the coloured part of the eye. The lens helps focus light on the retina, which is the film in the camera in the back of the eye that lets you see.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in patients over the age of 50, with about 1 in 7 Australians in this age group displaying some signs of the disease. The macula is the very small area at the centre of the retina, which is the film in the camera in the back of the eye that lets you see.
Glaucoma describesa group of diseases which causedamageto the optic nerve, eventually leading to blindness if left untreated. It is the most common cause of preventable blindness in Australia. The optic nerve transmitsall visual information from the eye to the brain for further processing. Damage to the optic nerve leads to insidious and progressive blindness.
Diabetes is a major worldwide health concern affecting almost 10% of the adult population and continuing to rise. People with diabetes often have disease in the eye called diabetic retinopathy (DR).Diabetic retinopathy is the most frequent complication of diabetes and occurs due to prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar levels.
This is one of the most common presentations in ophthalmology and is almost always due to the vitreous gel collapsing in on itself and peeling away from the retina, a process we call ‘posterior vitreous detachment’ or PVD for short.
The retina is very delicate nerve tissue like photographic film in a camera that lines the back of the eye. Retinal detachment occurs when the retina peels away from the inside of the eye like wallpaper coming off a wall.
An ‘epiretinal membrane’ is a fine sheet of scar tissue on the surface of the retina, not unlike sticky tape. The retina is the light-sensitive part of the eye like the photographic film in a camera. It is very delicate nerve tissue, about one-third of a millimetre thick,
A ‘full thickness macular hole’ is, as the name suggests, a hole that forms in the centre of the macula. The macula is the central part of the retina -the light-sensitive part of the eye like the photographic film in a camera. The macula serves your fine central vision,
CSCR describes a condition where pockets of fluid collect under the retina (the photographic film in the camera in the back of the eye that lets you see). Accumulation of fluid in this space can disrupt vision and cause blurring in the affected eye.
The retina is the photographic film in the camera in the back of the eye that lets you see. Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurs when one of the veins draining blood from the retina becomes blocked. This causes varying degrees of vision loss depending on the location, severityand number of blood vessels involved.
Blepharitis literally means “inflammation of the eyelid margins”. It is a very common condition and can lead to various eye symptoms. If often reflects the patient’s underlying skin condition.
Dry eye is an extremely common condition characterised by the lack of adequate lubrication of the eyes. Tears play an integral role in lubricating and nourishingthe outer surface and clear window of the eyeknown as the cornea. Tears are composed of water, fatty oils and mucus that keep the eye surface smooth and clear, wash away foreign matter, and prevent infection.
This incorporates a broad spectrum of disease of varying severity. The types include:
(i) Allergic Conjunctivitis
Most common type
Caused by airborne allergens, eg. Pollen, Ryegrass
Worse in warmer months
When someone develops keratoconus, the cornea becomes distorted and irregular in shape. This causes the vision to become blurred because the light isn’t focussed accurately in the eye. Keratoconus is an uncommon condition affecting about 1 in 250 people.
Contact us to get help with any questions you may have about Blepharitis and other eye conditions, or support you may need.
