Parts of the Eye

The retina is a light sensitive tissue that receives and sends images along the optic nerve to the brain.

The cornea is the clear “window” that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber; providing most of the optical power.

The iris is the pigmented tissue behind the cornea that regulates the amount of light that enters the eye and gives the eye its color.

The pupil is the black circular opening centered in the iris that lets light into the eye.

The eye’s lens (crystalline lens) helps focus rays of light on the retina.

Opaque and fibrous, this outer protective layer is known as the sclera or the “white of the eye.”

The optic disc (optic nerve head) is the ocular end of the optic nerve where nerve fibers in the retina come together to form the optic nerve.

The optic nerve is the largest sensory nerve of the eye and carries the visual messages from the retina to the brain.

Eye Conditions

- Cataracts

Definition:
A cataract is the opacity or cloudiness of the crystalline lens which is normally clear; this sometimes causes an unclear image to form on the retina.

Causes and Detection:
Cataracts are usually due to the aging of the eye but there are other possible causes such as genetic disorders or medical problems (including diabetes, injury to the eye, medications, long-term unprotected exposure to sunlight or previous surgery). A cataract itself is not cancer and it can not cause irreversible blindness.
Detection of the presence of a cataract and the extent of one can only be done by your ophthalmologist. If you have some cloudiness in your vision which is painless and/or fading or yellowing of colors please make an appointment with your ophthalmologist to have an exam.

Treatment:
Cataract surgery is the only way to remove a cataract that causes enough vision loss to interfere with your daily life. If you have a mild cataract a change in glasses prescription may be all you need to live comfortably.

- Conjunctivitis

Definition:
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the thin membrane called conjunctiva that lines the white of your eye and your eye lids. It’s more commonly known as “pink eye”.

Causes and Detection:
Conjunctivitis is known as “pink eye” for a good reason, the most obvious symptom is a pink or red eye. This coloration is due to inflammation which can be painful and itchy. There are different types of conjunctivitis that can be diagnosed by your optometrist or ophthalmologist:

- Viral conjunctivitis – Most of the time just infects one eye and causes eye watering and some discharge.

- Bacterial conjunctivitis – Both eyes will be affected with symptoms and will cause a heavy sometimes greenish discharge.

- Allergic conjunctivitis – Both eyes will be affected with symptoms of tearing, itching, redness in the eye and sometimes the nose.

- Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) – Most of the time it infects both eyes causing intolerance to contacts, itching, heavy discharge, tearing and red bumps on the underside of the eyelids.

All these different types of conjunctivitis may be caused by bacteria, a virus, an allergic reaction, or a foreign body in the eye.

Treatment:
Conjunctivitis sometimes requires medical attention. The appropriate treatment depends on the cause of the problem. For the allergic type, cool compresses and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild cases. In more severe cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed. Some patients with persistent allergic conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid drops.

- Corneal Abrasion

Definition:
When the cornea experiences some trauma brought on by being scraped or scratched.

Causes and Detection:
A corneal abrasion happens when an object scratches the cornea, such as a tree branch or a finger nail. It can also happen if you rub your eyes while having a foreign object in them. People usually know if they have an abrasion right away due to the pain and discomfort. If the pain does not go away and you feel as though you have a foreign body in your eye or you do have a foreign body in your eye you should be examined by your eye doctor as soon as possible.

Treatment:
Small abrasions may require no specific treatment, larger abrasions are typically treated for a few days with a topical antibiotic to prevent infection and a topical cycloplegic to reduce pain and improve comfort.

- Dry Eye

Definition:
Dry eye is when either the tear production in the eye is decreased or the tear film evaporation is increased.

Causes and Detection:
Aging is one of the most common causes of dry eyes. This is because tear production decreases with age. It may be caused by thermal or chemical burns also.
Typical symptoms of dry eye are dryness, burning and a sandy-gritty eye irritation that gets worse as the day goes on. Symptoms may also be described as itchy, scratchy, stingy or tired eyes. Other symptoms are pain, redness, a pulling sensation, and pressure behind the eye. There may be a feeling that something, such as a speck of dirt, is in the eye. The resultant damage to the eye surface increases discomfort and sensitivity to bright light. Both eyes usually are affected.

Treatment:
Artificial tear drops and ointments can provide temporary relief when used every few hours. These just keep the eyes lubricated but there is a prescription drug used to increase tear production, ask your eye doctor about it if interested. There are a few procedures that can be done to help dry eye.

- Temporary punctal plugs – A painless procedure where a plug that will quickly dissolve is inserted into the lower lid tear drain. This procedure is done to determine whether the permanent plugs will be effective.

- Permanent punctal plugs – If the temporary punctal plugs work then this painless procedure is done to make the plugs permanent, very rarely does the plug come loose.

- Surgery – In some severe cases surgery is needed to permanently close the tear ducts, allowing more tears to remain in the eye.

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