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Vision Conditions

The best way to keep your eyes healthy is to know how to care for them. This section shows you how your eyes work, explains how vision conditions change what you see, and lists some common eye diseases. To learn more, please select from the sub-categories listed above.

Eye Anatomy

CORNEA: Transparent front segment of the eye that covers iris, pupil, and
anterior chamber, and provides most of an eye's optical power.
PUPIL: Variable-sized, circular opening in center of iris; it appears as a
black circle and it regulates amount of light that enters the eye.
IRIS: Pigmented tissue lying behind cornea that (1) gives color to eye, and
(2) controls amount of light entering eye by varying size of black
pupillary opening; separates the anterior chamber from the posterior chamber.
LENS: Natural lens of eye; transparent intraocular tissue that helps bring
rays of light to focus on the retina.
RETINA: Part of the eye that converts images into electrical impulses sent
along the optic nerve for transmission back to the brain. Consists of
many named layers that include rods and cones.
MACULA: Small, specialized central area of the retina responsible for acute
central vision.
VITREOUS: Transparent, colorless, gelatinous mass; fills rear two-thirds
of the interior of the eyeball, between the lens and the retina.
OPTIC NERVE:
Largest sensory nerve of eye; carries impulses for sight from
retina to brain.

We are happy to provide you with basic informationon several common vision conditions. Select from the following list or scroll to learn more about the symptons.

Amblyopia
Focus on Amblyopia
Amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye, occurs when one eye develops differently than the other eye, causing one eye to be weaker than the other. Sometimes a difference in focusing ability causes one eye to be used more often. Other times, the eyes are misaligned, causing one eye to “shut off” to avoid double vision. Regardless of the cause, the result is a weakened, or amblyopic eye.

Focus on Symptoms
It’s hard to spot amblyopia. Sometimes a child will noticeably favor one eye over the other. Another possible symptom is the child frequently bumping into things on one side. The best way to tell if your child has lazy eye is through a complete exam around six months and three years. Early diagnosis can prevent amblyopia from leading to more serious problems such as loss of the ability to see three dimensions or functional blindness in the amblyopic eye.

Focus on Treatment
Most of the time amblyopia can’t be entirely corrected. The amblyopic eye will always be a bit weaker than the other. However, with treatment, vision in the amblyopic eye can be improved to some extent. Treatment involves encouraging the weak eye to develop. This is done using eye patches, vision therapy, glasses, and usually a combination of the three. The strong eye may be patched to encourage the weak eye to develop. Vision therapy can help to correct improper use of the eyes. If a focusing error is at the root of the problem, then glasses may reduce the error. Most of the time the amblyopic eye will always require glasses.

Recommended Links
National Eye Institute Amblyopia Resource Guide http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/amblyopia/index.asp

Astigmatism
Sometimes the cornea is irregularly shaped, causing the eye to focus an object on two different areas of the retina. This is known as astigmatism. For the cornea to bend light correctly, it should be dome-shaped, like a basketball. Astigmatic corneas are shaped more like a football. This causes a distorted view when looking at objects which are close-up and far away.
The cause of astigmatism is unknown. Astigmatism is often associated with myopia or hyperopia, and usually occurs from birth. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by factors such as pressure on the cornea, incorrect posture, or increased use of the eyes for “near work.”

Mild astigmatism usually doesn’t need to be corrected. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can correct moderate to high degrees of astigmatism.

Recommended Links
American Optometric Association: Astigmatism

Computer Vision Syndrome
Focus on Computer Vision Syndrome
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) affects three out of four computer users. It is a series of symptoms related to extended periods of computer usage. Though it is no cause for panic, measures can be taken to relieve symptoms of CVS.

Focus on Symptoms
CVS can appear as a variety of symptoms. Headaches, eye strain, neck and back aches, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, double vision, and dry or irritated eyes are all possible problems related to CVS.

Focus on Risk Factors
Any computer user can develop CVS. Your vision, your computer, and the environment where you use your computer are all factors which can lead to CVS.

Recommended Links
Healthy Computing Articles: Computer Vision Syndrome http://www.healthycomputing.com/articles/computer_vision_syndrome.htm

Emmetropia
When an eye’s optical power is perfectly matched to its length, the eye is said to be emmetropic. Emmetropia is the medical term for 20/20 vision needing no corrective lenses, contact lenses, or reading glasses. It occurs because the optical power of the eye can perfectly focus an image to the retina, giving them “perfect” vision.

The opposite of emmetropia is ametropia. With ametropia, the focal point of the eye is some distance in front of or behind the retina.

Hyperopia
Hyperopia is more commonly known as farsightedness. As the name suggests, people with farsightedness are able to focus on objects that are further away, but have difficulty focusing on objects which are very close. This is because the eyeball is shorter than normal, which prevents the crystalline lens in the eye from focusing correctly on the retina. About a fourth of the population are afflicted with hyperopia. Hyperopia can lead to chronic glaucoma, a more serious condition, later in life.

A family history of hyperopia is a risk factor for developing hyperopia. Often babies are born with hyperopia but they can usually outgrow the condition as the eye develops into the correct shape.

Hyperopia can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. There are also new surgical procedures that can correct hyperopia.

Recommended Links
American Optometric Association – Hyperopia

Myopia
Myopia is the medical term for what most people call nearsightedness. It is a condition where you can see objects clearly only when they are closer, but when objects are further away you can’t focus on them. Myopia usually develops in early childhood, though it sometimes develops in early adulthood. In rare cases, myopia can lead to more serious conditions such as retinal detachment.

Myopia is considered a genetic disorder. If your parents are nearsighted, you are at greater risk of also being nearsighted. Another risk factor is “near work” – work involving fine detail or focusing on close objects.

Myopia can be accommodated and sometimes corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Sometimes myopia continues to gradually worsen throughout life, a condition known as myopic creep. Myopia can also be corrected by LASIK surgery.

Recommended Links
American Optometric Association – Myopia

Presbyopia
As a people get older, usually when they hit their mid to late 40s, a condition called presbyopia can set in. Presbyopia is the inability to focus on objects near the eye. One usually notices that it is harder to read or use the computer. Bifocals or reading glasses are a way to remedy

Presbyopia is a natural consequence of the aging process. There is no cure, though researchers are constantly looking for one. Even if a someone has never had vision problems before, they can still develop presbyopia. It may seem to occur suddenly, but actually occurs over a long period of time. Symptoms include having to hold things at arm’s length to see them clearly, eye strain, fatigue, and headaches from near work.

Recommended Links
American Optometric Association – Presbyopia

Just for Presbyopes

As people get older, usually around their mid to late 40s, a condition called presbyopia can set in. Presbyopia is the inability to focus on objects near the eye. One usually notices that it is harder to read or use the computer. Bifocals or reading glasses are a way to remedy this condition.

Presbyopia is a natural consequence of the aging process. There is no cure, though researchers are constantly looking for one. Even if a person has never had vision problems before, he or she can still develop presbyopia. While symptoms can present suddenly, presbyopia usually occurs over a long period of time. Symptoms include having to hold things at arm’s length to see them clearly, eye strain, fatigue and headaches from near work.

Fortunately, Accent ovVions-Santa FE Eyecare carries a number of products designed to eliminate the difficulties associated with presbyopia. To combat presbyopia in your own life, stop in and ask the Doctor about:

Computer Glasses – To reduce eye strain and fatigue, we carry specialized computer lenses. These lenses are perfect for computer users who spend a majority of their day working on a computer. And since three out of four computer users will suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome, computer lenses are a great way to keep your eyesight healthy.

Reading Glasses – One of the first areas of your life where presbyopia becomes prominent is in your ability to read. Accent on Vision-Santa carries a broad line of reading glasses to help you read without holding the page at arms length. There are a variety of styles available, with sleek designs that allow you to carry them anywhere.

No-Line Bifocals – For many presbyopes, bifocal lenses are a necessity. But it can be difficult to adjust to the harsh line that is found in bifocal lenses. Fortunately, there are no-line lenses which are also called progressive lenses. No more lines! Just a gradual change in focusing power which allows you to comfortably focus on any distance. Just like bifocals, distant objects are viewed through the top portion of the lenses, and near objects are viewed through the bottom portion of the lenses.

Bifocal Contacts – If you need bifocals but can’t stand wearing glasses, Accent on Vision-Santa Fe Eyecare has just the thing for you: bifocal contact lenses. Now you can have all of the benefits of bifocal lenses in the convenience of contact lenses. Talk with your doctor about bifocal contacts today.

Monovision Correction – For some of our emerging presybopes we offer another option to glasses, monovision. This is a method of fitting your dominant eye for distance vision and your non-dominant eye for near vision. Contacts are available in disposable, extended wear, and even daily disposable lenses to fit your lifestyle. Most patients require 2-4 weeks to make the adjustment from binocular vision to monovision.

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