Eye doctors examine patients with a wide variety of possible eye conditions. These can range from the extremely rare to those that are more commonly observed. In some cases these eye conditions can be treated and possibly cured if diagnosed in time, while in other instances the conditionmay have no known treatment or cure. Let's take a look at some of the most common eye conditions and evaluate their individual symptoms, causes and possible treatments. We will be looking into cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Cataracts

According to Contact Lens King, a cataract is an eye condition commonly found in adults 40 years of age or older. The incidence of cataracts impact approximately one fifth of this demographic. This particular eye condition is usually expressed by the clouding of the natural crystalline lens within the eye. The phenomenon forms in the normal course of ageing and is basically caused by the aging of the protein content in the lens. Almost everyone develops cataracts at one point in their life. Some of the symptoms related to cataracts can be potential sensitivity to light, experiencing blurry or cloudy vision, and increased difficulty seeing at night.

Cataracts can develop due to various causes including genetic predisposition, physical injury/trauma to the eye, as well as certain medical disorders such as diabetes. Fortunately this common eye condition has very simple treatments.

Depending on the severity of individual cases a person can opt to use corrective lenses to temporarily improve their vision, special eye drops containing a special enzyme to help remove any protein build up on the eye's natural lens, and/or undergo the usual optimal solution which is a surgical procedure to replace the cloudy natural lens with a clear artificial lens available in the vision power that an individual requires, even including an astigmatic and/or reading correction. The procedure is usually completed under 30 minutes.

Macular Degeneration

This particular eye condition is defined as the deterioration of the retina and is the leading cause of vision loss. The retina is located at the back of the eye and is the tissue that contains the receptors that receive and send light signals to the optic nerve which in turn are converted to produce an image. An individual with this eye condition may experience blurry vision, and loss of the central and/or peripheral vision.

This particular eye condition is defined as the deterioration of the retina and is the leading cause of vision loss. The retina is located at the back of the eye and is the tissue that contains the receptors that receive and send light signals to the optic nerve which in turn are converted to produce an image. An individual with this eye condition may experience blurry vision, and loss of the central and/or peripheral vision.

Little is understood or known about the causes behind this disorder, however the most important risk factor seems to be age related with those affected aged 55 or older. There are also other factors that seem to play a role such as race, genetics and smoking. In fact, there is evidence that shows that smokers are twice as likely to develop this eye condition.

Although there are currently no treatments available for macular degeneration there are proactive steps that can be taken to reduce risk. For instance, a healthy diet, exercise, not smoking, and protecting your eyes from ultraviolet rays are some actions a person can take to avoid this serious eye condition.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that directly damages the optic nerve, the part of the eye that sends the light signals to the brain in order to formulate an image. Eye pressure build up within the eye is the most common offender in causing the damage.

This eye condition is one of the rare events that are considered an emergency by eye doctors. It is very serious and can cause the loss of peripheral vision, tunnel vision, deterioration of the central vision or even complete blindness. However, if the condition is diagnosed in time there are several common treatments that are available and that may be required to resolve the chronic nature of this condition. Depending on the critical nature of the individual case glaucoma can be treated using eye drops or pills, laser surgery to drain the fluid from the eye and relieve the pressure, and/or surgery.

All of the above common eye conditions can drastically impact a person's quality of life. However, by taking proper preventative and proactive measures, such as following a healthy living regimen and being aware of new symptoms, a person can reduce the odds of developing any long-term effects of these disorders.