Some signs of eye problems are;
- Change in iris colour
- Crossed eye
- Dark spots inthe centre of your field of vision
- Difficulty in focusing on near or far objects
- Double vision
- Dry eyes with burning and itching
- Excess discharge or tearing
- Eyepain
- Scratchy pain on the eye surface
- Impaired vision
- Swelling
- Redness of the eye
Common eye problems and their solutions
Stye
Stye is the painful bump that forms inside or outside of the eyelids. Your eyes have lots of tiny oil glands around the eyelids. Sometimes these tiny glands get blocked and form red bumps. Frequently the bacteria will enter into the bump and causes swelling, inflammation, pain, and redness of surrounding eyelid. It is medically termed as hordeolum. The bump may point out externally or internally and appears like whitish or yellowish or like a large pimple. It infection will get disappears by itself when the blockage in glands gets opened and the infection will go away when the pus is drained from the stye.
Stye or Hordeolum
Epidemiology
No data are available on the incidence and prevalence of hordeola internationally. However, hordeola are among the most common eyelid lesions in clinical practice.
Race
There is no known racial predilection for developing hordeola.
Sex
There is no sexual predilection for developing hordeola. Both men and women seem to be equally affected.
Age
Hordeola are more common in adults than in children, possibly because of a combination of higher androgenic levels (and increased viscosity of sebum), higher incidence of meibomitis, and rosacea in adults. However, hordeola can occur in children.
Types of Stye
There are two different types of stye. Each has different causes. The two types are
Hordeolum: It is the blockage in the sweat gland, which is present in the skin of the eyelid and also in the eyelashes or one of the sebaceous gland that is found on the underneath of the eyelashes. Sebaceous gland is attached to the eyelash follicles that produce sebum which acts as a lubricant for eyelashes and prevent from drying out.
Chalazion: In this type blockage occurs in Meibomian glands, which are the special oil glands in the eyelids. It may cause chronic granulation in the formation of painless lump. These glands form a single row in each lid, with the body of the gland located inside the eyelid, and the opening located at the rim of the lid, posterior to the lashes.
Chalazion
An illustration shows two types of styes
Risk factors
Some of the risk factors for stye include:
- Using expired cosmetics
- Sleep deprivation
- Not removing eye makeup for over a night
- Inserting eye lens without disinfecting with washing solution or not washing your hands when placing your lens
- Touch your eyes without washing your hands
- Have any chronic inflammation in the edge of the eyelids such as blepharitis
- Having skin condition such as rosacea
Causes of Stye
- Stye is usually caused by the infections in the oil gland of the eyelids. It is mainly infected by most common bacteria It causes painful lumps with pus inside in it
- Sometimes it is caused by thickening of the substance which is produced by the gland and causes the substance to flow slowly or not at all
Symptoms
Sometimes stye occurs simultaneously in both the eyes or in one eye. The patient will have a bump, redness or swelling can make your eyes to tear. Symptoms of stye include:
- Blinking of eye due to foreign sensation in eye
- Presence of lump or bump in the eyelids
- Pain in the area of bump
- Swelling
- Droopy eyes
- Discharge of mucus from eye
- Tearing
- Discomfort when blinking
- Feeling that there is a dust in eyes
- Itching of eyes
- Burning sensation
- Blurred vision
Complications of Stye
Complications can be extremely rare, but sometimes complications may occur such as follows:
Chalazion or Meibomian cyst: if you have long-term lumps inside of your eye, it may lead to Meibomian cyst. These lumps are painless unless they get infected.
Periorbital cellulitis: This can cause inflammation around the eyes due to the infection in the lumps. The skin layer around the eye becomes inflamed, red and swollen.
Diagnosis and test
- Your doctor will a perform physical examination on the eye and ask about your symptoms
- Biopsy can be carried out to check for the cause of infection and to remove lumps of the eyelids
Treatment and medications
In many cases stye doesn’t require treatment, it heals by itself. Sometimes it may occur again. Your doctor may recommend following treatments, such as:
Antibiotics: Occasionally your doctor may recommend an erythromycin ophthalmic ointment and other antibiotics such as chloramphenicol or amoxicillin may also be used.
Warm compress: It can also treat your stye. A cloth is warmed with hot water and it gently compressed on the eyes for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this for 3 to 4 times a day, it will clear your stye and this makes pus to drain away.
Surgery: If stye doesn’t respond to any kind of therapy, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to remove the stye under the local anesthesia. A cut is made; the pus is drained out of the gland. Sometimes the removed stye is sending for the test to investigate the possibilities of skin cancer.
Prevention of Stye
- Wash your hands with sanitizer or soaps for several times
- Use valid, unexpired cosmetics and don’t share cosmetics with others
- Before placing contact lenses in eye, make sure that you washed with disinfectant
- If you have stye already, apply warm compress in the eye. This prevents it from stye coming back
- Sharing towels should be avoided to prevent the infections
- Remove makeup in eyes before bedtime
Watery Eyes
Watery eyes can be completely mystifying. You might expect to tear up when remembering a heart-pulverizing breakup or reading about unlikely animal friendships. But in the middle of the day while just going about your life? Not so much. Unfortunately, there are plenty of reasons your eyes might suddenly spring a leak, even seemingly at random.
Pathophysiology
Tears are produced in the lacrimal gland and drain through the upper and lower puncta into the canaliculi and then into the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct. Obstruction of tear drainage can lead to stasis and infection. Recurrent infection of the lacrimal sac (dacryocystitis) can sometimes spread, potentially leading to orbital cellulitis.
Risk factors
- Weather conditions such as wind, cold, and sunshine.
- Eye strain.
- Environmental factors such as bright light and smog.
- Common cold, sinus problems, and allergies.
- Inflammation of the eyelid (blepharitis)
- Eyelid turned outward (ectropion) or inward (entropion)
- Ingrown eyelash (trichiasis)
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis) or other infections
- Blocked tear ducts
- Foreign objects, chemicals, or irritating gases and liquids in the eye
- Cut or scrape on the eye
- Some prescription medications
- Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation
Causes of Watery Eyes
While infection, irritation, allergies and other causes for watery eyes exist, one of the most common causes of watery eyes and tearing is, oddly, dry eyes. The body senses that the eyes are dry, so it makes more tears.
You may go through periods of raw, dry eyes, followed by teary eyes. This is a common complaint of older people and is, surprisingly, referred to as dry eye syndrome.
There are a variety of reasons behind dry eye syndrome. In general, they are more irritating than dangerous. While some can be addressed medically, others are simply a result of aging:
- Meibomian glands in the eyes normal secrete an oily material that tops tears from evaporating too quickly. When they are not functioning normally, dry patches occur and extra tears are produced. Normally secrete an oily substance that slows the evaporation of tears between blinks.
- When these glands don’t function properly, known as Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), it can result in dry patches on your eyes. These become sore, and extra tears are produced as a reflex. This is the most likely cause of watering eyes.
- When the lower eyelid sags, it can be hard for tears to move in their proper path toward drainage ducts. This condition, called ectropion, can be resolved through minor surgery. If lower eyelids roll inward, the same issue can occur. It can also be resolved through surgery.
- An inflammation or infection of the edges of the eyelid can block drainage ducts, resulting in tearing eyes.
- Tear ducts can become blocked or narrowed. Minor surgery can resolve this.
- Eye infections, such as pinkeye, can cause tearing.
Signs and symptoms of watery eyes
Symptoms that can be associated with watery eye and excessive tearing include
- Eye pain
- Eye inflammation or eye infection
- Runny nose
- Vision impairment
- Allergies
- Sneezing
- Eye swelling and
- Eye redness
Complications
Problems may include redness, mucus, dryness, and sensitivity to light.
How are watery eyes diagnosed?
Your doctor diagnoses epiphora by examining your eyes and reviewing your medical history. If your doctor suspects a blocked tear duct, tests can determine the extent of the blockage. Testing includes:
- Your doctor will flush out the ducts with saline in the office.
- Your doctor may put a drop of a special fluorescent dye in the corner of each eye. Instead of liquid dye, your doctor may use a small paper strip containing the dye.
- When tears mix with the dye, it turns bright green.
- After 10 to 15 minutes, your doctor checks your eye, nose, and throat to see if the dye has drained from the eye.
Normally, tears wash the dye from the eye. If the dye remains in the eye, it tells your doctor that the tear duct is blocked. In cases where flushing the tear ducts don’t open them up, your doctor may recommend certain imaging tests to visualize any tear duct blockages. These tests may include a CT scan or a special type of X-ray, called dacryocystography. Your doctor may also use a long, flexible tube with a light source called an endoscope to examine the inside of your nasal cavity.
How are watery eyes treated?
For many people, watery eyes resolve without treatment. If your doctor recommends treatment, your plan depends on the underlying cause of your watery eyes.
- Medications: Your doctor may recommend certain medications, like antibiotics, if an infection or eye injury causes watery eyes. If you have a condition like dry eye syndrome, your doctor prescribes artificial tears or prescription eye drops.
- Foreign objects: If you have a foreign object in your eye, your doctor removes it.
- Blocked tear ducts: If a blocked tear duct causes watery eyes, your doctor uses a saline solution to gently open the blocked duct. In some cases, doctors use a long, thin instrument called a probe to open tear ducts manually. If you have extensive blockages, your doctor may recommend surgery to open your tear ducts.
- Eyelid repair: If the eyelids are sagging (entropion or extropian) the doctor will likely recommend repair of the eyelids.
How to prevent watery eyes?
- Make sure that you do not have a foreign object in your eye.If you have something stuck in your eye, it may be causing that eye to water. Do not try to pull a foreign object out of your eye with your fingers or tweezers. To remove a foreign object from your eye, you will need to wash your eye.
- Use eye drops or “artificial tears.” It may sound counterintuitive to use artificial tears for watery eyes, but you can actually use eye drops to stop watery eyes. Eye drops work well when your eyes are watering because of excessive dryness. Eye drops will help to moisten and lubricate the eyes, which will lead to a decreased production of tears.
- Remove your contact lenses. If your eyes just won’t seem to stop watering, try removing your contact lenses. Contacts can make watery eyes worse while also potentially preventing eye drops from working. Talk to your ophthalmologist if you think your contacts might be to blame for your watery eyes.
- Make an eye compress to soothe irritated eyes. Warm compresses help to remove crust from the eyes while also working to loosen up any toxins that might be blocking your tear ducts. They also help to reduce the redness and irritation that often comes with watery eyes. Run a washcloth under warm to hot water, squeeze out the excess water, and then lay the washcloth across your eyes. Lie down and keep the cloth there for five to 10 minutes.
Getting Help from Your Doctor
- Talk to your doctor about antihistamine for watery eyes caused by allergies. Sometimes watery eyes are caused by an allergic reaction. Taking an antihistamine, or allergy pill, can help to reduce the eye irritation caused by allergies. Just keep in mind that if your watery eyes are not caused by allergies, then the antihistamine might not do anything to help. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure about whether your watery eyes are the result of allergies.
- Ask your doctor about antibiotics. If you go to see a doctor about your watery eyes, she may prescribe an antibiotic if she suspects that you have an infection.
- Consider the medications you are taking. Some medications can cause watery eyes as a side effect. Check the labels of your prescription medications and ask your doctor if you are not sure. If watery eyes is a lasting side effect of a medication you are taking, talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching to something else. Do not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor first.
Protecting Your Eyes
- Wear goggles to keep foreign objects out of your eyes.
- Wear sunglasses. Sunglasses shield your eyes from harsh UV rays that can cause your eyes to water.
- Use your own eye makeup and other eye products. One of the easiest way to pick up another person’s bacterial or viral eye infection is by sharing products like makeup, eye drops, or washcloths with them.
Photophobia – Causes, Complications, and Diagnosis.
What is photophobia?
Photophobia is not a fear of light, as the name might suggest, but rather it is an intolerance or sensitivity to light that can lead to extreme pain and discomfort. Sources of light such as fluorescent light, sunlight, and incandescent light can all be responsible for causing discomfort, and headaches are frequently associated with light sensitivity.
Photophobia
One important fact to keep in mind is that photophobia is not a form of eye disease. Instead, it is a symptom of some other condition such as inflammation or infection, which can irritate the eyes. Light sensitivity can also be a symptom of underlying diseases that wouldn’t directly impact the eyes, such as a disease caused by a virus.
Why are our eyes sensitive to light?
There are many reasons why someone might suffer from sensitivity to light. Photophobia is not a disease or disorder. rather, it is a symptom of many different diseases, disorders, and conditions. For example, an infection or inflammation that irritates the eyes can cause photophobia. It can be a symptom of an underlying disease such as a viral illness, or it can be caused by a severe headache or migraine.
When the cornea is compromised or stressed for any reason, it naturally responds by inflaming. Just as a bee sting causes pain, swelling, and tenderness, a similar inflammation response occurs when stress is placed on the cornea. During this response, fluid builds up within the cornea, causing light to scatter abnormally, which leads to extreme photophobia. Light sensitivity caused by infections or inflammation usually subsides once the underlying problem is treated.
Structure of an Eye
A person’s eye color can also influence their sensitivity to light. People with lighter colored eyes experience greater light sensitivity than people with darker colored eyes. The extra pigment in darker colored eyes is thought to protect against harsh lighting and bright sunlight.
Some people are born with large pupils. The pupil is the black center of each eye that allows light to enter. In reality, the pupil is the window of the eye. A kitchen with large windows will let in more natural light than a kitchen with small windows.
The same goes for pupil sizes. Each person’s pupil is a different size. Some people experience more sensitivity than others due to larger pupils.
Common Causes and risk factors
- Wearing of contact lenses for long periods, or wearing badly fitted contact lenses
- Eye disease, injury, or infection
- Burns to the eye
- Acute iritis or uveitis (inflammation inside eye)
- Corneal abrasion
- Corneal ulcer
- Drugs such as amphetamines, atropine, cocaine, cyclopentolate, idoxuridine, phenylephrine, scopolamine, trifluridine, tropicamide, quinine, belladonna, tetracycline, doxycycline, cocaine, and vidarabine
- Eye testing in which the eyes have been dilated
- Anterior segment disease: Cyclitis, blepharitis, dry eyes and dry eyes syndrome (a very common cause of photophobia), corneal neuropathy
- Intracranial conditions: meningeal irritation from meningitis, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage, or pituitary tumors or apoplexy
- Migrane (the most common photophobia cause)
- LASIK
- Posterior segment disease: retinal dystrophies, retinitis pigmentosa, cone dystrophies, hemeralopia, frequent photopsias, Alström syndrome
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Blepharospasm
- Encephalitis
- Progressive Suparnuclear Palsy (PSP)
- Psychiatric conditions: agoraphobia, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar depression, neurasthenia
Photophobia Symptoms
Photophobia is in some causes actually a common symptom and in many cases is not caused by any causal illness or eye difficulty. Photophobia which is severe can be linked to problems with the eye and can cause serious eye pain even in very low light.
This condition has some symptoms other than just sensitivity to light and they include:
- Inflammation of eye when tears may or may not be present
- Atrophy of optic nerve caused by excessive use of alcohol
- Irritation of brain and nerves caused by excessive use of alcohol
- Swelling of the eyes
- Redness
- Discharge
- Shooting pains in the head as well as the temples
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Stiff neck
Diagnosing Photophobia – When to See Your Eye Doctor?
If you feel you are experiencing photophobia more often than you should be, you should seek medical attention from an eye care specialist. To diagnose you, your eye doctor will ask you several questions about the light sensitivity and additional symptoms you may be experiencing.
You will also undergo a routine eye exam to check the refraction of light by the eye, or how the eyes bend to focus light to produce vision. An eye exam has seven major components:
- Visual acuity exam
- Refraction exam
- Visual field exam
- External exam
- Slit lamp exam
- Tonometry
- Ophthalmoscopic exam
Each of these tests can help your eye doctor determine what is causing the photophobia. For some of these examinations, your eye doctor may use eye drops that dilate your pupils, which will increase or worsen the photophobia for a short time.
Once a correct diagnosis is made, your eye doctor will create an appropriate treatment plan to reduce your light sensitivity and any other symptoms you may be experiencing.
Photophobia Treatment
The first step in countering light sensitivity is to diagnose and treat what is triggering this response. The individual might need to change contact lenses, get treatment for any underlying condition, discontinue drug use or switch to a different medication. If this condition happens after having refractive surgery, the eye might simply need more time to heal and the problem might resolve itself.
Drugs or medications used to treat photophobia may include:
- Acular
- Voltaren ophthalmic
Treatment options include:
- Behavior therapy
- Anti-anxiety medication
- Medical conditions such as meningitis – antibiotics
True phobic or fear of lights is treated as a phobia and include the following management:
- Psychotherapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Relaxation techniques – controlled breathing, visualization
- Medication for anxiety
Some individuals resort to remedies such as wearing sunglasses, staying in dark rooms with blinds closed as well as doing whatever is necessary to generally avoid sunlight. If this condition continues indoors with very little light or the pain is extremely severe than that individual should see a physician to seek medical treatment and management.
The physician will examine the eye with a biomicroscopy which will check the iris, lens and cornea as well as eyelid. He/she may also suggest a corneal scraping and also in some cases a lumbar puncture also referred to as a spinal tap.
The individual may also wear wide-brimmed hats as well as UV sunglasses from the protection of harsh light sources.
Some individuals with photophobia which is serious may need prosthetic prescription safety glasses that prevent large amount of lights from entering the eyes.
Home Remedies for Photophobia or Sensitivity to Light
Treatment for photophobia or sensitivity to light can prove highly effective using natural supplements and home remedies. Most of the cases of photophobia or sensitivity to light can be dealt with home remedies or lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, certain severe cases may need medical treatment or input from a medical professional.
- You can manage light sensitivity due to a short-term condition by wearing tinted glasses, closing the eyes and by avoiding sunlight.
- Furthermore, Vitamin B2 present in foods like wolfberries aids in reversing eye sensitivity.
- Vitamin A and carotene present in carrots supports eye health and thereby manages light sensitivity.
- L-carnosine and Vitamin E are other supplements which aids in treating more pervasive eye conditions.
What Can I do To Prevent Photophobia?
As mentioned above, in some cases – such as when a person is born with larger pupils—photophobia cannot be prevented. Even in these types of situations, however, there are steps you can take to reduce your light sensitivity. Here are some prevention tips for photophobia:
- Avoid smoking
- Wear sunglasses with polarized lenses when outdoors, even in the shade.
- Take vitamins and eat foods that contain antioxidants; for example, light sensitivity is sometimes a sign of a vitamin A deficiency
- Let as much natural light as possible into indoor settings.
- Dim or turn off indoor lights; close curtains in windows if too much light enters.
- Get treatment for any underlying condition you may have, such as dry eyes or conjunctivitis.
- Wear wide-brimmed hats when outdoors.
- Close your eyes for a while.
- Leave driving until tomorrow. Drive only during the day. Even good lighting at night such as in a big city can be bothersome to someone with night blindness or sensitivity to light.
- Increase driving vision by cleaning headlights of the car
- Slow down. This gives you more time to react to any hazards
- Try to avoid the triggers that cause you to have migraine headaches.
- Prevent conjunctivitis by practicing good hygiene, not touching your eyes, and not sharing eye makeup.
- Reduce your risk of getting meningitis by avoiding contact with people who are infected, washing your hands often, and getting immunized against bacterial meningitis.
- Help prevent encephalitis by washing your hands frequently.
- Getting vaccinations against encephalitis and avoiding exposure to mosquitoes and ticks can also help. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing severe photophobia or for more suggestions to reduce your symptoms.
What is night blindness?
Night blindness (Nyctalopia) is the inability to see well at night or in poor light. It is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying problem, usually a retina problem. It is common for patients who are myopic to have some difficulties with night vision, but this is not due to retinal disease, but rather to optical issues.
Normal vision and night blindness vision
How does night blindness occur?
Light from an object enters the eye and is bent first by the cornea and then by the lens to focus an image on the light-sensitive tissue known as the retina. Specialized receptors cells in the retina, known as rods and cones, convert the light impulses into nerve signals. These signals are then carried by nerves to the visual cortex of the brain. Here it is interpreted to allow us to perceive the light and is broadly known as the sense of vision.
However, for this to occur there has to be light reflecting off or radiating from an object in the environment. Some objects radiate their own light like the sun or an electric lamp. Other objects do not radiate light but instead reflect light in the environment. When there is insufficient environmental light like in a dark room or at night then our ability to see objects is significantly diminished and this is considered normal.
Facts and Statistics on Night Blindness
- Night blindness affects pre-school children and pregnant women the most. According to a report by WHO, night blindness globally impacts 0.9% of children and 7.8% of pregnant women.
- The proportion of cases of night blindness peaks in developing countries where health and nutrition are a constant worry. Africa and South East Asia account for nearly 2/3rd of the cases.
- The term night blindness is actually quite misleading as it implies that one is sightless at night, but as explained above, this is not the case.
What conditions cause night blindness?
Some causes of night blindness are obvious as the condition impairs the entry of light as it passes to strike the retina. Others have a more complex connection to night blindness. The causes can be divided into treatable and non-treatable.
Non treatable causes include:
- Birth defects like X-linked congenital stationary night blindness where the rods are non-functional or under-functioning.
- Retinitis pigmentosa is a condition where the retina (the light-sensitive inner lining of the eye) degenerates. It is incurable.
Treatable causes include:
- Cataracts where the lens becomes cloudy thereby reducing the intensity of light passing through it and eventually blocking the light completely (blindness).
- Myopia (nearsightedness) when uncorrected with spectacles, contact lenses or refractive surgery impairs the ability to see at night due to the elongation of the eyeball and failure of the lens to compensate.
- Drugs like those used for glaucoma which constrict the pupil and therefore limit the amount of light entering the eye.
- Diabetes which is long-standing and poorly controlled can lead to diabetic retinopathy where the retina becomes diseased as a result of damage to the tiny capillaries supplying it.
- Vitamin A deficiency is an uncommon cause of night blindness contrary to popular belief. As explained the deficiency means that rhodopsin, the pigment in rods, cannot be regenerated.
- Zinc deficiency – Zinc is a necessary co-nutrient for the eyes to be able to uptake Vitamin A. Deficiency in the US is rare.
- Sun damage – Too much exposure to intense sunlight can also damage the retina, leading to reduced night vision. Wearing 100% UVA/UVB protecting sunglasses in bright light reduces this possibility.
- LASIK eye surgery – In some cases, a side effect of LASIK is impaired night vision and the appearance of halos around lights. There is a test to determine the likelihood of this happening before undergoing LASIK.
Risk factors for Night Blindness:
Eyes / Ocular
- Retinitis Pigmentosa: Retinitis pigmentosa results in visual rods being destroyed early in the course of disease, resulting in night blindness. Night blindness in children may be an early indicator of retinitis pigmentosa.
- Macular Degeneration
Nutrients
- Zinc Requirement: Zinc is required in order to transport vitamin A from the liver to the retina and thus zinc supplementation, especially in those who are deficient, should help improve night vision.
- Vitamin A Requirement: Night blindness is commonly caused by a deficiency in vitamin A. It is considered one of the first indicators of vitamin A deficiency.
Organ Health
- Liver Detoxification / Support Requirement: Reduced night vision can be linked to a variety of conditions caused by impaired liver function which in turn reduces vitamin A metabolism.
Signs and symptoms of night blindness
- The main symptom of night blindness is the inability or difficulty to see at night or in darkness. This is most likely to occur during the transition from one light exposure to the other. For example, when you enter a dark room, when you shut off the lights, or when the sun is setting.
- Night blindness is problematic as it can increase a person’s risk of injury or slow them down.
- If you begin to notice that adjusting from light to dark is becoming more challenging for you and taking longer than usual, you may wish to speak to your doctor. They will aim to uncover the underlying cause and treat your condition.
Complications
| Complication | Likelihood | Timeframe |
| visual field loss | high | variable |
| cataract (posterior subcapsular) (view full topic) | high | variable |
| reduced visual acuity (view full topic) | medium | variable |
| cystoid macular edema | medium | long term |
Testing for Night Blindness
If you have difficulty seeing at night, it is important to visit your eye care professional. He or she will perform tests to determine whether you have night blindness and whether it may be connected to an underlying disease. The eye examination will include the following:
- Tests to measure your visual acuity, ability to see colors, and your pupil light reflex
- Refraction test to measure your prescription for eye glasses or contact lenses
- Slit lamp examination to examine the structures in the front of the eye, including conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids, iris, lens, and sclera
- Retinal examination to look for any damage to the structures in the back of the eye ‒ the vitreous, retina, and choroid
Your eye doctor may order an electroretinogram, which measures the electrical responses of the rods and cones (the cells in the eye that sense light) when these cells exposed to light. This test can detect abnormal function of the retina, the light-detecting portion of the eye.
Electroretinogram
You may also undergo visual field testing, which can detect central and peripheral vision problems caused by glaucoma and other eye diseases or by conditions that affect the brain, such as stroke.
Visual field testing
Night Blindness Treatment
The treatment will depend on its causes.
- Nutrients deficiency (Vitamin A and Zinc) is the easiest to treat. Just incorporate more carrots, tomatoes and green leafy vegetables for vitamin A, and beans, nuts and poultry for Zinc. If you want better protection and don’t want to eat so much food to maintain sufficient nutrients for your eye, consider taking Ocu-Plus vitamins. Ocu Plus vitamins also contains bilberry extracts which was commonly taken by pilots during WWII to improve night vision.
- If the cause is cataracts, you can go for cataracts surgery to remove the clouded lens and replace it with artificial intraocular lens. Vision is usually dramatically improved after surgery.
- For dry eye syndrome, lubricate your eyes with artificial tear drops can provide instant relief. Just make sure that they are without preservatives.
- Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented with tight control of blood sugar, active lifestyle and good dietary habits. If you already have diabetic retinopathy, there are laser and vitrectomy surgery available.
- As for retinitis pigmentosa, unfortunately there are no treatments available. Thankfully, new research is showing that vitamin A might have a slowing effect on the progression of this eye disease. But make sure that this is done under close supervision of a doctor as overdose of vitamin A can be harmful.
- Myopia (nearsightedness) can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lens or LASIK surgery in most cases.
- Night vision glasses can be used during night time outing
Colored light therapy
- One researcher found that some persons have reduced levels of photocurrent transmission (transmission of light signals from the eye to the brain) which can cause, among other things, night blindness.
- Colored light therapy, in which colored light stimulates the brain, can reduce night blindness caused by this photocurrent deficit.
- In colored light therapy, patients look at a device that cycles through 11 wave bands of color. Treatment involves 25–30 sessions over a period of four to six weeks.
Herbal remedies
Herbals which may improve night vision include:
- Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
- Blueberry (Vaccinium) juice
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
- Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
- Matrimony vine (Lycii fructus, kou chi tza) berries
- Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
- Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota sativas)
- Rose (Rosa species) flower eye wash
- Yellow dock (Rumex crispus) leaves
Prevention and Management
By treating the above conditions early it is possible to prevent night blindness. Vitamin A supplementation as a preventative measure will only be effective for night blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. It is ineffective against other causes and high doses of vitamin A can lead to toxicity. Management involves lifestyle measures that can limit the extent to which night blindness impacts on daily life and has to be considered for non-treatable causes.
- Use brighter light where necessary. This may involve brighter artificial lighting, allowing more sunlight into the home or office where possible or even carrying and using a small light source like a flashlight.
- Avoid driving at night if there is significant impairment of nighttime vision. It may be inconvenient but it can prevent serious road traffic accidents that can be fatal.
- Do not enter areas with poor lighting after being in bright light if it can be avoided. Mishaps may occur which can lead to serious medical outcomes. While most people may expect their eyes to accommodate in due course, a person with night blindness can find themselves lost within an area with poor lighting or even bump into objects or fall.
- Undergo regular eye examinations to monitor the eyesight impairment. Early treatment of some conditions can minimize the severity of the condition and even reverse it.
Color Blindness – Causes, Risk Factors, and Management.
Introduction
Color blindness is a genetic condition caused by a difference in how one or more of the light-sensitive cells found in the retina of the eye respond to certain colors. These cells, called cones, sense wavelengths of light, and enable the retina to distinguish between colors. This difference in sensitivity in one or more cones can make a person color blind.
Difference between vision of normal and color blindness
Color blindness is also called a color vision problem. A color vision problem can change your life. It may make it harder to learn and read, and you may not be able to have certain careers. But children and adults with color vision problems can learn to make up for their problems seeing color.
What are the different types of color blindness?
The most common types of color blindness are inherited. They are the result of defects in the genes that contain the instructions for making the photo pigments found in cones. Depending on the type of defect and the cone that is affected problems can arise with red, green, or blue color vision.
Red-Green Color Blindness
The most common types of hereditary color blindness are due to the loss or limited function of red cone (known as protan) or green cone (deutran) photopigments. This kind of color blindness is commonly referred to as red-green color blindness.
Protanomaly: In males with protanomaly, the red cone photopigment is abnormal. Red, orange, and yellow appear greener and colors are not as bright. This condition is mild and doesn’t usually interfere with daily living. Protanomaly is an X-linked disorder.
Protanopia: In males with protanopia, there are no working red cone cells. Red appears as black. Certain shades of orange, yellow, and green all appear as yellow. Protanopia is an X-linked disorder.
Deuteranomaly: In males with deuteranomaly, the green cone photopigment is abnormal. Yellow and green appear redder and it is difficult to tell violet from blue. This condition is mild and doesn’t interfere with daily living. Deuteranomaly is the most common form of color blindness and is an X-linked disorder.
Deuteranopia: In males with deuteranopia, there are no working green cone cells. They tend to see reds as brownish-yellow and greens as beige. Deuteranopia is an X-linked disorder.
Color perception in different types of color blindness
Blue-Yellow Color Blindness
Blue-yellow color blindness is rarer than red-green color blindness. Blue-cone (tritan) photo pigments are either missing or have limited function.
Tritanomaly: People with tritanomaly have functionally limited blue cone cells. Blue appears greener and it can be difficult to tell yellow and red from pink. Tritanomaly is extremely rare. It is an autosomal dominant disorder affecting males and females equally.
Tritanopia: People with tritanopia, also known as blue-yellow color blindness, lack blue cone cells. Blue appears green and yellow appears violet or light grey. Tritanopia is an extremely rare autosomal recessive disorder affecting males and females equally.
Complete color blindness
People with complete color blindness (monochromacy) don’t experience color at all and the clearness of their vision (visual acuity) may also be affected.
There are two types of monochromacy:
Cone monochromacy: This rare form of color blindness results from a failure of two of the three cone cell photo pigments to work. There is red cone monochromacy, green cone monochromacy, and blue cone monochromacy. People with cone monochromacy have trouble distinguishing colors because the brain needs to compare the signals from different types of cones in order to see color.
People with blue cone monochromacy, may also have reduced visual acuity, near-sightedness, and uncontrollable eye movements, a condition known as nystagmus. Cone monochromacy is an autosomal recessive disorder.
Rod monochromacy or achromatopsia: This type of monochromacy is rare and is the most severe form of color blindness. It is present at birth. None of the cone cells have functional photo pigments. Lacking all cone vision, people with rod monochromacy see the world in black, white, and gray. And since rods respond to dim light, people with rod monochromacy tend to be photophobic – very uncomfortable in bright environments. They also experience nystagmus. Rod monochromacy is an autosomal recessive disorder.
History of color deficiency
The first scientific paper about color blindness was written by John Dalton in 1793 entitled “Extraordinary facts relating to the vision of colors“. Dalton himself was red green colorblind and as a scientist he took interest in this topic. He claimed that a colored liquid inside the eyeball is the source for a different color perception. This was proved wrong only after his death, when his eyes were examined and no such liquid was found.
After that Thomas Young and Hermann von Helmholtz were the first who described the trichromatic color vision. And once a theory for human color vision was ready, the basics of color vision deficiency weren’t far away.
Color Blindness by Nationality
One might expect the percentage of affected people to be relatively constant in all countries however this is far from the truth. In most Caucasian societies up to 1 in 10 men suffer, however only 1 in 100 Eskimos are color blind. There is no solid proof as to the cause of this however it is logical to assume that less of the ‘original Eskimos’ carried the defective gene, so the likelihood of it infecting the gene pool was quite a lot lower.
Causes and risk factors of Color Blindness
Color blindness occurs when light-sensitive cells in the retina fail to respond appropriately to variations in wavelengths of light that enable people to see an array of colors.
Inherited forms of color blindness often are related to deficiencies in certain types of cones or outright absence of these cones.
Besides differences in genetic makeup, other causes of color vision defects or loss include:
- Parkinson’s disease (PD). Because Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder, light-sensitive nerve cells in the retina where vision processing occurs may be damaged and cannot function properly.
- Clouding of the eye’s natural lens that occurs with cataracts can “wash out” color vision, making it much less bright. Fortunately, cataract surgery can restore bright color vision when the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens.
- Tiagabine for epilepsy. An antiepileptic drug known as tiagabine has been shown to reduce color vision in about 41 percent of those taking the drug, although effects do not appear to be permanent.
- Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Particularly prevalent among males, this type of inherited optic neuropathy can affect even carriers who don’t have other symptoms but do have a degree of color blindness. Red-green color vision defects primarily are noted with this condition.
- Kallman’s syndrome. This inherited condition involves failure of the pituitary gland, which can lead to incomplete or unusual gender-related development such as of sexual organs. Color blindness can be one symptom of this condition.
Symptoms included in the Color blindness
Symptoms vary from person to person, but may include:
- Trouble seeing colors and the brightness of colors in the usual way
- Difficulty distinguishing between colors
- Inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors
- Often, the symptoms may be so mild that some people do not know they are color blind. A parent may notice signs of color blindness when a child is learning his or her colors.
- Rapid, side-to-side eye movements (nystagmus) and other symptoms may occur in severe cases.
- Double vision (diplopia)
- Achromatopsia – when an individual has a black, white, and gray vision only (an extremely rare condition)
- Eye pain
- Difficulty reading
- Drooping eyelid
- Constantly being corrected, when naming a color
What are the possible Complications of Color Blindness?
Complications linked to Color Blindness include:
- Career limitations
- Difficulty in performing certain regular/daily tasks
- Difficulty driving, especially distinguishing between traffic light colors
How is color blindness diagnosed?
Eye care professionals use a variety of tests to diagnose color blindness. These tests can quickly diagnose specific types of color blindness.
The Ishihara Color Test is the most common test for red-green color blindness. The test consists of a series of colored circles, called Ishihara plates, each of which contains a collection of dots in different colors and sizes. Within the circle are dots that form a shape clearly visible to those with normal color vision, but invisible or difficult to see for those with red-green color blindness.
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The newer Cambridge Color Test uses a visual array similar to the Ishihara plates, except displayed on a computer monitor. The goal is to identify a C shape that is different in color from the background. The “C” is presented randomly in one of four orientations. When test-takers see the “C,” they are asked to press one of four keys that correspond to the orientation.
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The anomaloscope uses a test in which two different light sources have to be matched in color. Looking through the eyepiece, the viewer sees a circle. The upper half is a yellow light that can be adjusted in brightness. The lower half is a combination of red and green lights that can be mixed in variable proportions. The viewer uses one knob to adjust the brightness of the top half, and another to adjust the color of the lower half. The goal is to make the upper and lower halves the same brightness and color.
The HRR Pseudoisochromatic Color Test is another red-green color blindness test that uses color plates to test for color blindness.
The Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test uses a set of blocks or pegs that are roughly the same color but in different hues (shades of the color). The goal is to arrange them in a line in order of hue. This test measures the ability to discriminate subtle color changes. It is used by industries that depend on the accurate color perception of its employees, such as graphic design, photography, and food quality inspection.
The Farnsworth Lantern Test is used by the U.S. military to determine the severity of color blindness. Those with mild forms pass the test and are allowed to serve in the armed forces.
Treatment
There is currently no treatment for inherited color blindness. Color filters or contact lenses can be used in some situations to enhance the brightness between some colors and these are occasionally used in the workplace, but many color blind people find these actually confuse them further rather than help.
There is hope on the horizon for a ‘cure’ for inherited color vision deficiency using gene technology. A one-shot treatment for color blindness may begin human trials as soon as 2017, if current testing goes well. Jay Neitz, Ph.D. and Maureen Neitz, Ph.D., who are both professors of ophthalmology at the University of Washington, have already had success treating color blindness in monkeys using gene therapy. They have been studying color vision for much of their careers.
The new treatment that the Nietzes are testing uses an injection of an adeno-associated virus — a virus that doesn’t make humans sick — to get the genes into the cone cells of the retina.
For the current testing, an injection is made into the clear fluid in the center of the eye, and the virus finds the correct part of the retina to treat. If the treatment is found to work and approved for use, for some people color blindness could be reduced or cured with a single visit to the ophthalmologist.
Injections of other medications into the eye are already routine procedures in most ophthalmologists’ offices.
Some people use special lenses to enhance color perception, which are filters available in either contact lens or eyeglass lens form. These types of lenses are available from a limited number of eye care practitioners in the United States and other countries.
How can Color Blindness be prevented?
- Most cases of Color Blindness are inherited and hence, these may not be prevented
- However, early detection of the condition in children can help understand its nature and severity. This would allow the use of suitable measures to control any adverse effects and reduce learning difficulties later on
- Vision screening should be routinely performed, if taking certain medications are linked to vision deficiencies
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