The Pole avoids the ophthalmologist like fire. Every third has never been to him!

In a healthy eye, clear, aqueous fluid circulates inside the anterior chamber of the eye. For the eye to function properly, an adequate amount of aqueous humor must be maintained in the chamber to provide adequate pressure. The correct pressure is maintained thanks to the continuous inflow and outflow of liquid from the chamber. With glaucoma, the flow of the aqueous humor is disturbed, the fluid accumulates, the pressure inside the eye rises, which gradually damages the optic nerve. Where does it come from? High pressure in the eyeball has always been considered the cause of glaucoma, but its origins may vary. Among people who are particularly exposed to glaucoma, we can mention people with atherosclerosis, diabetes and arterial hypertension. It is more common in migraineurs and may run in the family. The symptoms of glaucoma are in many cases weak and ignored. If the eye is red, there is a “halo” around the light source, the field of view begins to narrow, the eye hurts and we suffer from vomiting and nausea – it is worth making an appointment. Glaucoma causes the bundles of visual fibers within thirty degrees from the center of the fundus to be damaged and a spot to appear in their place. Man has a lot of nerve fibers in the eye, which is why their slow atrophy is often imperceptible. Many people are unaware they have glaucoma for years. In the final stage of the disease, patients see the image around them as “through a keyhole”. Light, contours, some movement are noticeable, the eyes are actually blind. Glaucoma can cause complete loss of vision, so the first symptoms cannot be ignored. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will have to perform a series of tests, including fundus examination, visual field examination and imaging of the anterior segment of the eye with optical tomography. If the disease is in the early stages of development, pharmaceutical treatment is used, and in more serious cases, surgery is required.

AMD occurs primarily in white people, the elderly – after 50 years of age, more often in women than in men. The essence of the disease is the degenerative changes in the macula – the central part of the eye’s retina, responsible for sharp vision and distinguishing colors. The cause of AMD is not fully understood. A family predisposition to the disease has been shown, which suggests the genetic background of the ailments. In addition, AMD is more commonly found in people who smoke, have high blood pressure, have had a heart attack or stroke, and are on a diet low in antioxidants. AMD comes in two forms: dry and wet. The primary AMD diagnostic test that anyone can do on their own at home is the Amsler Test. There is no effective treatment for AMD. Research is being conducted on the usefulness of intraocular monoclonal antibodies to prevent pathological retinal vascularization. In the initial stages of the disease, laser therapy is also used to destroy it.

Myopia is most often the result of an abnormal eye structure. Its optical elements are too convex, which means that the parallel rays reaching the eye do not focus on the retina, but in front of it. In other words, the optics of the eye are “too strong”. As a result, in order to improve vision, myopia must shorten the distance to the object being viewed (e.g., bring the newspaper to the face). Objects that are too far away appear blurry. Nearsightedness also achieves better results by squinting as this reduces the distraction of the image on the retina. There are three main types of myopia. Axial is one where the eye is too elongated. Curvature myopia occurs when specific parts of the eye are too convex, which typically affects the cornea and lens. The third type of defect is not directly related to the anatomy of the eye, but to the refractive index of the lens. I am talking about refractive myopia, which may be the result of developing diabetes or cataracts. In this case, the lens refracts the rays reaching it too much. Nearsightedness is characterized by the blurred vision of objects in the distance. If you have trouble reading a book at “normal” distance and need to zoom in unnaturally, you probably have this disadvantage. The symptoms of nearsightedness in children are exactly the same, with you notice that little ones often squint their eyes when trying to see something clearly. As a result of constant attempts to accommodate the eye, headaches sometimes develop. Myopia can be treated with surgery. Various types of methods are used, most often laser treatments. They consist in shortening the eye axis so that its focusing ability is reduced to the normal level.

Clouding of the lens of the eye called cataract of the eye. It may appear due to injuries or taking certain medications, e.g. corticosteroids. The most common type of cataract is senile cataract, the causes of which are not fully known. The main cause of cataracts is aging and the accompanying metabolic disorders. Cataracts can also occur in younger people who struggle with, for example, myopia or diabetes. The symptoms of the disease include visual disturbances characterized by cloudy and blurred images, and even complete loss of vision. As you magnify a lens eclipse, your visual acuity decreases more and more. With the naked eye, you can see that the pupil turns from black to gray-white. Cataracts can be diagnosed by performing an eye examination with a slit lamp. Before that, the doctor gives drops that are designed to dilate the pupil, and then a white pupil is recognized, which results from a cloudy lens. Early diagnosed disease is treated with anti-cataracts, which are applied to the eyeballs in the form of drops. If the clouding covers the entire lens – you need to operate. After removing the cataract, it is necessary to use strong focusing glasses to replace the removed lens. You can also wear contact lenses. Increasingly, patients decide to insert a lens prosthesis.

Astigmatism (corneal incoherence) is a defect in which the vision is distorted due to asymmetry in the eye’s cornea. The cornea should have even curves, as does the ball. In some people with astigmatism, the cornea is more like a rugby ball, which prevents the eye from properly focusing the light rays. This makes the image out of focus. How to recognize astigmatism? A person with this defect can see as behind the fog, he is suffering from headaches (in the forehead area). Has a problem with distinguishing shapes (stars look like spots), straight lines appear curved. In addition, he often rubs and squints his eyes and tilts his head. In order to diagnose astigmatism, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist. The most effective form of treatment is surgery using an excimer laser – PRK and LASIK. Thanks to it, the correct curvature of the cornea is restored.

Conjunctivitis can take many forms, and can be infectious or non-infectious. The disease often accompanies other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye mucosa, manifested by red / bloodshot eye. Attention! You can sometimes confuse conjunctival hyperemia, corneal. The cause of conjunctivitis is purulent bacteria (staphylococci, streptococci, gonococci, pneumococci), which can be activated by rubbing the eyes with dirty hands, dust, chemicals, cigarette smoke or radiation. The latter factors can lead to chronic conjunctivitis. Also, allergic conjunctivitis is often diagnosed, related to the presence of an allergic factor in the patient’s environment (e.g. plant dust, particles of animal origin, dust, chemicals, bacteria, cosmetics, medicines). Some newborns have acute conjunctivitis, which is caused by microbial infection from the mother during delivery. How to recognize? Eye congestion is one of the most common symptoms of conjunctivitis. But not only. The disease is accompanied by photophobia, narrowing of the eyelid gap and lacrimation. They make up the so-called the irritating triad. The method of treatment depends on the factor that caused the conjunctivitis.