What to know about eye problems and eye disorders
There are a plethora of eye problems and diseases that make life difficult for people. Some minor eye problems go away on their own, while the symptoms of other eye diseases require the care of a specialist. This article intends to improve your knowledge about various eye problems, their causes, and signs and symptoms.

What are some of the most common eye diseases?

• Acanthamoeba keratitis : An eye infection associated with poor contact lens hygiene and other factors.
• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) : It is a vision development problem in infants and young children. The brain favors only one eye.
• Astigmatism : An irregular cornea causes this, and the eye problems – symptoms include a blur at all distances.
• Anisocoria : An eye problem characterized by an unequal size of the pupils.
• Bell’s palsy : A condition that causes sudden paralysis of one side of the face. Resultantly, the blinking of the eye is affected, causing severe dry eye.
• Blurry vision : It can be a result of eye strain, fatigue, and some serious eye diseases such as glaucoma.
• Burning eyes : Conditions such as ocular rosacea, dry eyes, and blepharitis can cause eye problems – symptoms of burning eyes.
• Black eye : The condition results in bruising around the eyes.
• Blepharitis : It is the inflammation of the eyelids, accompanied by eye problems – symptoms like watery eyes, sensitivity to light, crusty debris at the base of the eyelashes, and the sensation of a foreign body in the eye.
• Cataract : One of the most common eye conditions, this mainly affects people above 60 years of age.
• Age-related macular degeneration : Mainly affecting those over 65 years of age, this eye condition involves the breakdown of the macula. Poor lifestyle choices, including smoking, poor diet, and obesity, are known to worsen this eye condition.
• Dry eyes : When the eyes stop making enough good quality tears, they become dry. The eye problems – symptoms include a burning sensation and a feeling that there is something in the eye.
• Conjunctivitis : Also known as pinkeye, the condition causes redness and inflammation of the clear tissue covering the eye.

What are the common signs and eye problems – symptoms to watch out for?

• A severe and sudden eye pain
• Recurrent pain around the eye
• Blurred, hazy, or double vision
• Seeing sudden bright floating spots or flashes of light
• Seeing halos around lights
• Seeing floating spider webs
• Feeling as if a curtain is coming down over one eye
• Feeling a cup filling up with ink in one eye
• Swollen, red eyes
• Change in the color of the iris
• White areas in the pupil
• Itching and burning in the eyes, and a heavy discharge
• Change in vision

What are the medical disorders that can cause eye problems?

• Giant cell arteritis is a medical condition of the elderly associated with arthritis, headache, and visual loss
• Thyroid-related eye diseases can affect those suffering from thyroid
• Diabetes mellitus can cause retinal problems, glaucoma, and cataract
• Allergies
• High blood pressure

How can you prevent vision problems?

• Go for periodic eye exams, which should be every 2-3 years for healthy patients under 50 and once a year for patients over 50 with known health risk factors
• Follow a healthy lifestyle
• Know your family history and be on a lookout for eye problems – symptoms
• Follow a nutritious diet
• Avoid hazards, such as fireworks, and don’t stare at bright lights
• Wear durable eye protection
• Follow a good contact lens care-and-use regimen. Never sleep with contacts that are not meant for overnight wear, never use saliva or water as a wetting solution, don’t use disposable contact lenses beyond their wear, and never use expired solutions or you could suffer severe eye problems – symptoms.

What are some home remedies for simple eye problems?

• Put a washcloth dipped in warm water over the stye in the eye
• Apply cool compresses on conjunctivitis-affected eyes
• Wash the eyes a good number of times a day
• For night blindness, train the eyes to adjust to the dark naturally by sitting in a dark room for about 20 minutes every day
• You can wash the eyes with boric acid to get rid of an eye infection