The 6 Ocular Symptoms that Impact Quality of Life Most in People
When something goes wrong with your eyes, you want to obtain medical care as soon as possible because many eye diseases can lead to permanent damage and even blindness if left untreated. However, that’s not the only reason to see your eye doctor. Ocular symptoms can affect your quality of life negatively right now – and every day – until they are corrected. Here are six eye symptoms to watch for and seek treatment immediately should they occur.
- Vision changes
As you get older, you may find that your vision is not as clear as it once was. Maybe you’ve had vision problems since you were very young. Either way, having poor vision can affect your daily life in some very frustrating ways. Some vision changes may indicate a medical condition that needs attention; others may just make your daily to day life more challenging. If you notice your vision worsening, whether or not you already wear corrective lenses, be sure to see your eye care professional as soon as you can.
- Dry eyes
When your eyes can’t produce enough good-quality tears, or when your tears evaporate too quickly, they become uncomfortably dry. If you have dry eyes, you may feel as though your eyes are burning or as if you have something in your eye. In more severe cases, dry eyes can cause blurry or fluctuating, but even in mild cases, dry eyes can cause discomfort on a day-to-day basis. Fortunately, several remedies ranging from using a humidifier in your home to special eye drops to various medical procedures can help you manage this condition.
- Night vision problems
Do you have trouble seeing at night, particularly when driving? Is it hard to find your way around places with low lighting conditions, such as movie theaters? Difficulty seeing at night is a symptom, not a condition on its own. This symptom may indicate conditions such as myopia, cataracts, or even a vitamin deficiency – treatable conditions for which you should see your eye doctor.
Related post: Do You Have Trouble Seeing at Night?
- Lazy eye
Amblyopia, more familiarly known as “lazy eye,” is what happens when one eye fails to develop properly. Vision in the affected eye is weaker and can be due to uncorrected refractive error or an eye that is not well-aligned with the other. This condition is found in people of all ages; if you notice it in your infant or young child, it requires immediate attention. You can avoid lifelong vision problems by detecting and treating lazy eye early on – one reason why regular eye exams are so important in childhood (and throughout life).
- Colorblindness
If you can’t tell the difference between specific colors or can’t see them at all, then you probably have a condition known as colorblindness. This condition is the result of color cells (or cone cells) that don’t work correctly. Rarely, colorblindness may be so severe that the person can see only shades of gray. Most people are born with colorblindness, but it can occur later in life as a result of certain diseases or drugs. Be sure to speak with your eye doctor about this, as there are treatments available that can help many people with this condition lead normal lives.
- Cataracts
Cataracts are a natural opacification that develop within the lens of the eye. Think of a healthy lens like the lens of a camera: light passes through unimpeded to the back of the eye where you process images (the film in a camera). Cataracts reduce this typical passage of light, resulting in impaired vision. Cataracts may form slowly and without symptoms, which is another reason why regular eye exams are crucial, even if you haven’t noticed anything unusual.
Be sure to keep an eye out for these and other symptoms that something may be amiss with your eyes. Many problems that would otherwise affect your quality of life day after day are treatable.