Eye Disease

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, by 2020, 43 million Americans will face significant vision loss or blindness from age-related eye diseases. Left untreated, eye disease can lead to serious vision loss or blindness. Protecting your eyes from accidents and early detection and treatment of eye problems are the best ways to keep healthy vision throughout your life. Below are several types of eye conditions and steps you can take to prevent them from affecting you.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, the part of the eye that carries the images you see to the brain. Regular eye doctor examinations are the best way to detect glaucoma. If your vision seems blurry, if you have severe eye pain or if you see rainbow-colored halos around lights, call your eye doctor right away. Treatment can prevent vision loss, but as a rule damage caused by glaucoma is irreversible. Eye drops, laser surgery, and conventional surgery can help prevent further damage.

Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. Your eye becomes like a frosted or yellowed window. Cataracts are a common cause of vision loss, especially as we age. Your eye doctor can determine if a cataract is present. Surgery is the only way a cataract can be removed; however, if cataract symptoms are not bothering you, surgery may not be necessary. Cataract development varies between individuals and may even be different between the two eyes. Most age-related cataracts progress gradually over a period of years. Other cataracts, especially in younger people and people with diabetes, may progress rapidly over a short time. It is not possible to predict exactly how fast cataracts will develop in any given person.

Diabetic retinopathy

The blood vessels in your retina, the layer of nerve tissue at the back of your eye, can be damaged by high blood-sugar levels from diabetes. This damage is called diabetic retinopathy. It's important to maintain control of your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent vision loss, but often there are no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Don't wait for symptoms to have a comprehensive eye exam. If you see a few specks or spots floating in your vision, this may indicate proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the growth of abnormal new blood vessels on your retina and optic nerve. You should have your eyes checked promptly if you experience changes in your vision that last more than a few days and are not associated with a change in blood sugar.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) refers to the breakdown of the macula – a small, but very important area in the back of the eye. The macula provides the sharp, central vision you need for reading, driving and seeing fine detail. Macular degeneration can cause sudden, severe loss of vision in the middle of your visual field and cannot be reversed. Its impact, however, can be reduced. Laser surgery and medications can be used to treat certain types of macular degeneration. Although the exact causes of macular degeneration are not fully understood, antioxidant vitamins and zinc may reduce the impact of AMD in some people. You should speak with your ophthalmologist to determine if you are at risk for developing advanced AMD, and to learn if supplements are recommended for you.

Dry eye

The eye bathes itself in tears to stay moist. When someone doesn’t produce enough tears to keep their eyes healthy, this is called dry eye. You can take steps to prevent your tears from evaporating by using a humidifier, wearing wrap-around glasses, and avoiding overly warm, dry rooms, hair dryers, wind, and smoke. Eye drops called artificial tears can help lubricate the eyes, and are available without a prescription.

TRICARE benefit information

Read more about TRICARE’s vision benefits.

Additional resources

www.geteyesmart.org

www.eyecareamerica.org

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