The eye is the window through which we see the world around us. It is the one of most important and the more sensitive organ in the body.  As the old proverb goes “The eyes are the mirror of the soul.”

There are various diseases, some major and some minor, which affect the eyes. Given below is the list of such diseases along with the usual treatment prescribed for each.

♦  MYOPIA: Myopia or short-sightedness is the result of the light focussing in front of the retina, due to the lens/eyeball turning defective. The person will not be able to clearly see distant objects.

Treatment: Either by the use of concave lenses or via LASIK surgery, which involves reshaping the cornea through a LASER.

♦  HYPEROPIA:  Also known as far-sightedness, this is the condition where the person is unable to see close-by things clearly.  Here, the light gets focused behind the retina and the condition usually occurs in elders.

Treatment: Usually corrected by having the patient wear a convex lens.

♦  CATARACT: This is caused due to the lens becoming cloudy. Therefore light, which usually gets focussed at a single point on the retina, scatters throughout the region resulting in decreased vision which may slowly lead to blindness.

Treatment: Implantation of an artificial lens in place of the affected lens.

♦  ASTIGMATISM: This is the condition where the shape of the cornea is distorted, thus leading to a slightly blurred vision.

Treatment: This is also corrected through proper glasses/contact lenses.

♦  PRESBYOPIA: Reduced flexibility of the lens with aging due to weakening of the ciliary muscles. This results in the inability of the lens to adjust to near vision.

 Treatment: This is corrected by putting on a convex lens.

♦  COLOUR BLINDNESS: Inability to distinguish certain colours, especially red, green or yellow. It is mostly hereditary, but sometimes acquired due to nerve, eye or brain damage. It is mainly men that are subjected to genetic colour blindness.

Treatment: Though there is no complete cure for colour blindness, certain types of tinted filters/contact lenses may benefit the patients.

♦  CONJUNCTIVITIS:  Here, the conjunctiva is inflamed. Also called sore eyes or red eyes, this is a contagious disease which can be spread through shared items.

Treatment: Application of ice-packs and administration of eye-drops or eye-ointments.

♦  DRY EYES: This usually occurs due to dehydration of the conjunctiva and cornea.  There is a sandy or a burning feeling as if something is in the eye. There may be episodes of excess tears which may be followed by sensation of dryness. Dry eye can also occur in a dry climate and is more common in women.

Treatment: Artificial tears or sterile ointments, which lubricate the eye, are commonly used for treating dry eyes.

♦  GLAUCOMA: This is condition wherein there is increased intraocular pressure. The aqueous humor fails to drain easily, building up pressure inside the eye and reducing the blood supply to the optic nerve.

Treatment: This condition can be treated with eye-drops.

♦  STRABISMUS: Commonly known as squint, this is the condition where the muscle of one of eyes is weak. This results in misalignment, lack of coordination and deviation of the eyes. There are various types of squint like esotropia, hypertropia, exotropia, depending on the eye-ball position.

Treatment: Although the treatment may vary with the type of squint, the basic principle of treatment is to elongate one muscle and shorten the opposite muscle to get the eye back in perfect position.

♦  MACULAR DEGENERATION:  This may be drug-induced or age-related and causes damage to the macula, affecting the central vision.

Treatment: Although, there is no complete cure, this can be treated to a fair extent by laser photocoagulation to destroy the extra blood vessels.

♦  RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA:   This is a progressive degeneration of the retina  and is characterised by a pigmented scar on the retina. Usually hereditary, this often leads to night blindness and, subsequently, gradual loss of side vision.

Treatment:  Vitamin A supplements and laser surgery are the usual modes of treatment employed.

♦  BLEPHARITIS:  Inflammation of the eye-lids due to malfunctioning of the meibomian glands, wherein eyelids itch and dandruff-like scales are seen on the eyelashes.  This may result in further complications like hordeolum or chalizion. Hordeolum is a painful staphylococcal infection of the glands while chalazion is a cystic, usually painless, mass formed on the eye-lid.

Treatment: Warm compressions to the affected part, incision and drainage, and antibiotic ointments are the prescribed medications.

♦  TRACHOMA: This is a chronic infection of the conjunctiva by Chlamydia trachomatus, a parasitic bacterium. The cornea is inflamed with the formation of pus which may lead to blindness.

Treatment:  The usual treatment is administration of antibiotics

♦  RETINOPATHY:  The retinopathy or the damage to the retina can be arteriosclerotic, diabetic or hypertensive. Haemorrhages and aneurysm of retinal veins occur and , in some cases, the retina may be devoid of oxygen supply. Diabetic retinopathy is most common; this may result in macular edema where fluid leaks into the macular area.

Treatment: Retinopathy is usually treated by laser surgery.

♦  KERATOCONUS:  This is a defect of the cornea wherein the internal corneal links become weak and the cornea protrudes outwards.  It leads to distorted vision and mostly affects younger people between 20 and 30 years of age.

Treatment:  Corneal implants and glasses are commonly used. However, if progression occurs, the widely-used mode of treatment is C3-R which is relatively new. In C3-R, short for Collagen Cross-Linking of Cornea Using Riboflavin and UV, the collagen cross-linking is increased, thereby strengthening the collagen bonding in the cornea after application of a few drops of riboflavin solution. However, if the disease is at an advanced stage, corneal transplantation is performed.