Every part of your body serves an important purpose, and the importance of healthy eyes cannot be overstated. Age, genetics and trauma can affect your eyes’ health, and unfortunately, not all eye diseases are preventable. Visiting a retina specialist in Arlington Heights, can help keep them healthy as long as possible.
Here are three diseases of the eyes.
Cataracts
The day you notice your eyesight has become cloudy or foggy is probably the day you realize that you may have cataracts. Cataracts occurs when your eyes’ lens no longer provides clear vision. It often occurs in those who are 40 years or older and often leads to blindness. Seeing at night becomes difficult and you may feel like you are staring into a glare. Cataracts are treatable. With surgery, the affected lens can be replaced with an artificial one.
Glaucoma
Individuals who experience glaucoma essentially experience the slow loss of their vision. Fluid build up puts pressure on the eyeball as the eye’s optic nerve begins to burn out. Eventually, glaucoma can lead to blindness. An eye specialist can prescribe eye drops and medications. Laser surgery can also be performed in an effort to slow down the process. Usually, there are no symptoms aside from the vision loss. For this reason, glaucoma is called the silent thief.
Retina
There are a number of eye diseases that are related to the retina including retinopathy, macular degeneration and occlusions. Macular degeneration often occurs in people who are 60 years or older. The retina is the light sensor at the back of the eye. When it begins to wear out in any way, so does your vision.
Caring for your eyes, especially if you are prone to eye diseases, is important. Retina specialists in Arlington Heights, like Arlington Eye Physicians LLC, are ready to help.