It is a common problem caused by a wide range of conditions.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

People often experience dry eye as they age. Symptoms include foreign body sensation, burning, gritty or sandy sensation, stinging, dryness, eye redness, discomfort in contact lenses, and sensitivity to light.

In some patients, dry eye may be related to an underlying systemic condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogrens disease, or medications.

Symptoms of Glaucoma

• Often Asymptomatic
• Peripheral Vision Loss
• Painless

How We Test for Glaucoma

Glaucoma testing includes intraocular pressure measurement, measurement of your corneal thickness, clinical examination of your ocular structures and optic nerve, and formal testing with visual fields and nerve fiber layer OCT imaging. At Palm Valley Eye, we generally spread these tests out over separate visits to make the examination more comfortable.

In early stages, vision may not be affected. Progression of the disease may lead to blurred or distorted central vision or eventual permanent vision loss. Urgent treatment with vision changes is imperative to prevent permanent vision loss. In some stages of disease, progression may be slowed by vitamin use.

Specifics of Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula. The macula is responsible for central vision and controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces and see objects in detail.

Patients with ARMD may experience partial vision loss, blurred vision, distorted vision, or see waves and spots in their vision. It is painless and may worsen slowly over time or suddenly cause vision changes.

ARMD is currently considered an incurable disease, but if caught early through regular eye exams, the risks can be reduced or the progression slowed.

Symptoms commonly include eye redness, eyelid swelling, crusting or sticking of the lids together, rope-like discharge, tearing, itching, burning, light sensitivity, and foreign body sensation. Usually both eyes are involved, although symptoms may start in one eye and go to the other, or one eye may be worse than the other.
Treatment of conjunctivitis varies based on the underlying condition.

– In conjunction with a runny nose, cough, or congestion, a viral cause is most likely and it is important to use appropriate hygiene to avoid spreading to others. Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious and you should avoid contact with others, wash your hands with soap regularly, avoid touching your face and eyes, throw away contaminated cosmetic products, and avoid reuse of towels and pillow cases. Antibiotics do not treat viruses, but patients can obtain comfort through use of cold lubricating drops, cold compresses, and occasionally prescription drops from their eye doctor.

– Bacterial conjunctivitis is a rare, but serious condition. Usually only one eye is involved and symptoms of eye swelling, lid swelling, and redness may be severe. Thick white or yellow discharge (purulent) is a feature. Bacterial conjunctivitis requires evaluation and treatment by your ophthalmologist with topical prescription drops and occasionally oral medications.

Symptoms of flashes, floaters, appearance of a curtain, or loss of parts of the vision could all be signs of a retinal tear or detachment and require urgent evaluation with your ophthalmologist.

Patients with a history of high myopia (near sightedness), lattice degeneration, prior eye surgery, prior history of retinal tears/detachment, prior eye injury or family history are at increased risk.

Retinal tears and breaks are treated with laser, and occasionally injection of a gas bubble into the eye. Retinal detachments often require surgical repair.

There are many ways to manage keratoconus including use of glasses, soft contact lenses, and hard contact lenses. In the early stages of keratoconus, patients may be eligible for corneal cross linking to slow progression of the changes in corneal shape. Episodes of hydrops are often treated with topical eye drops and occasionally use of an air bubble inside the eye. When patients have severe disease or scarring, corneal transplant surgery may be needed.

Treatment of herpes zoster involves oral and topical prescription medications. Because this disease can recur, it is important to be followed by an ophthalmologist regularly to avoid corneal scarring and loss of vision.