Keep an Eye on Your Vision: Do not Ignore These Eye Problems

Our school teachers always taught us how the eye functions like a camera and the retina act as a film. What they were really trying to say was that the retina is a light sensitive tissue, which reacts to incoming light and sends the image to the brain through the optic nerve.

It is obvious that any problem in the retina would disrupt the picture formed. So, one must get their eyes tested to ward off experiencing black spots, flashes of light or distorted or blurred vision. These problems could indicate eye ailments like diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment or a torn retina.

If you have been experiencing any such symptoms, you must not ignore them. These could be a sign of severe eye troubles. You must know when you need to consult an ophthalmologist to maintain healthy eyes.

When You are Diabetic

A person is at a greater risk of developing cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy when they suffer from diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by the irregular sugar levels in the body, which damage the blood vessels inside the eye.

When blood vessels in the retina are damaged they may leak blood and grow fragile, brush-like branches and scar the tissue. This can either blur or distort the vision.

If one is to observe the leading cause of blindness all over the world, the answer has to be diabetic eye problems. If you suffer diabetes and do not get proper treatment for it, you are more likely to go blind than the general population. The duration of diabetes is directly proportional to the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

If You are Short-sighted

Myopia, or short sightedness, is a very strong risk factor for retinal detachment. Retinal detachment occurs when the retinal tissue separates from the layer of blood vessels. The function of these blood vessels is to provide nutrients and oxygen. The lack of oxygen in cells results in the eye creating a blurred picture.

While the initial detachment could be restricted, if left untreated for a long time, it can cause blindness in the affected eye. Retinal detachments are also caused by trauma to the head or eye. According to the statistics, these are frequent in the elderly and middle aged people.

Also read: Clean Your Blood Vessels and Clogged Arteries Naturally

If You have a Kid

Kids below the age of 6 can develop retinoblastoma- the most common type of rapidly developing cancer of the retina. It could be heritable or non-heritable, may occur in one (unílateral retínoblastoma) or both the eyes (bílateral retínoblastoma).  In some rare cases, a kid may develop trilateral retinoblastoma where the pineal gland is also affected along with both the eyes.

Also read: Symptoms of Eye Cancer

If you notice white spots on the pupil, redness and pain in your kid’s eyes, then you must take them to the doctor immediately. Children with cross eyes are at a higher risk and must be tested regularly. If left untreated, the tumour can spread to the child’s lungs, brain and bones. The kid can even become blind.

Eyes are often neglected especially when we spend hours straining our eyes in front of the screen - computer or smartphones. We do not realize how much a health disease can harm our eyes. This negligence can cause blindness or vision impairment in the long run. So it is vital to get your eyes checked regularly.

Tips to Protect Your Eyes 

• Reduce skin posture. The sun’s ultraviolet rays pose many health concerns, including cataracts
• Do not apply sunscreen to close to your eyes or any cream as these beauty products may contain harmful substances which might cause irritation
• Add some vitamins and minerals into your diet, especially vitamin C, vitamin E and omega fatty acids to keep your eyes healthy
• Keeping yourself hydrated to protect your eyes from getting dehydrated 
• Get an eye check-up regularly to avoid the development of any diseases
• Stop smoking as the smoke produced can pose a risk for both macular degeneration and cataracts 
• Do not look at a screen for a long time to avoid dryness in the eye. You can do some exercises to relax the eyes

Read more articles on Eye Disorders.

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