Eye Health from Geoff Steven and Son
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is known as “the thief of sight” as up to 50% of those with the disease do not know they have it. The disease causes thinning of the nerve fibre layer in the retina and over time results in a characteristic loss of vision, with untreated glaucoma eventually leading to blindness.
Risk factors for glaucoma include; a family history of glaucoma, increasing age and prolonged steroid use.
The image below shows what a normal, healthy eye looks like.
Normal eye
Age related macula degeneration
Age related macula degenerationAge-related macula degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of registered blindness in the western world and generally affects individuals over the age of 65 years.
The condition affects only central vision whilst the peripheral vision remains unaltered thus individuals afflicted don’t go completely “blind”. Common symptoms could include blurry vision (either sudden or gradual onset), wavy or distorted lines or a central blind spot.
Risk factors for this condition include increasing age, female gender and smoking. The disease may have a genetic component.
Diabetic
Occurs because there is a deterioration of the tight junctions of a blood vessel wall which in turn can cause both blockage and leakage of blood vessels. This is characterised in the form of exudates (plasma leakage) hemorrhages and micro aneurysms. There is a very large comprehensive diabetic eye disease monitoring system in the UK via digital retinal photography, which is available to every diabetic through his or her GP.
Superior temporal branch retinal vein occlusion
Occurs when there is a blockage of a retinal vein. Predisposing factors are:
1. Increasing age
2. Systemic hypertension
3. Raised Intra ocular pressure and long sighted spectacle corrections.
There is some visual loss depending on the severity of the occlusion but some recovery after 6 months.
