Recently, there have been a number of medical advancements in the world of ophthalmology, meaning that treatments are being found for more and more of the most common eye conditions. This is great news for those who suffer as a result of the faulty functionality of their eyes. Those who are born colour-blind can now buy glasses that finally let them see the world in colour, for example, which is ground breaking and life changing stuff, but here we are going to look at some of the more common conditions and the treatments that are now available to remedy them. 

Cataracts and Glaucoma

Cataracts cause, in simple terms, a clouding of the eye. It mainly occurs in those over the age of 40, if untreated it can eventually lead to blindness, and it is one of the most common eye problems out there. Signs to look out for are lights appearing suddenly brighter, colours appearing duller, and your vision becoming blurred. Cataract surgery is now available to those with this condition, and it consists of implanting an artificial lens to counteract the faults in your eye. This means no more glasses, and perfect vision 24/7.

Glaucoma is a build up of what is know as intraocular pressure in your eye, which eventually damages your optic nerve. This can lead to vision loss as your visual field reduces, or even blindness within a few years. Glaucoma is usually genetic and tends to appear in your later years. Glaucoma laser treatment is now available which consists of making a small hole in your iris which helps your eye to manage pressure more effectively.

Floaters and Retinal Tears 

Floaters as they are known in the ophthalmological world are essentially small dots that appear and float around in your vision, they do not impair vision but are distracting, nonetheless. This happens because the jelly like substance around your eyes tends to loosen with age, causing microscopic fibres to clump together and cast shadows which appear as dots. Thankfully, there is now a Floaterlaser treatment for this, which targets each individual floater in order to eradicate them. 

Retinal tears are real tears in the retina of your eye, which if left untreated can lead to the complete detachment of the retina and therefore blindness. There are many contacts available to ease your pain like biofinity contact lenses. Laser treatment is also available for this issue and is used to reattach the retina to the back of the eye.

Dry Eyes

The clue’s in the name when it comes to a dry eye condition. Dry eyes occur when your eyes do not produce enough tears. You can tell your eyes are dry when you notice that they are itchy, sore, or more sensitive than usual. There are now two treatments available for this condition. IPL, or intense pulsed light, can be used to activate the meibomian glands which control the secretion of tears. Or alternatively, a punctal plug can be fitted which ensures that your tears surround your eye for longer after they have been secreted.

As you can see, there is now a range of innovative treatments available for many of the most common eye conditions. As the eye needs to be open and functioning for these treatments to take place, you will be awake for the duration, but they are fast and pain free. It’s important to take care of yourself by visiting doctors when you notice unusual symptoms, no matter which area of the body they are in. Health should be a priority for everyone.