Common eye conditions

Browse through our basic informative articles on the most common eye disorders related to the focusing ability of your eyes. Learn what the various conditions are, how to recognize them, what their causes are, and what treatments are available.

Cataract

Clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye.

Most cataracts develop slowly over the course of years.

The main symptom is blurry vision. Having cataracts can be like looking through a cloudy window.

Glaucoma

A group of eye conditions that can cause blindness.

With all types of glaucoma, the nerve connecting the eye to the brain is damaged, usually due to high eye pressure.

Diabetic Retinopathy

A complication of diabetes that affects the eyes.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor.

Early symptoms include floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision and difficulty perceiving colours. Blindness can occur.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD)

An eye disease that causes vision loss.

Macular degeneration causes loss in the centre of the field of vision. In dry macular degeneration, the centre of the retina deteriorates. With wet macular degeneration, leaky blood vessels grow under the retina.

Blurred vision is a key symptom.

Floaters

Spots in vision that look like black or grey specks or strings that drift across the eyes.

Floaters can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Examples include normal ageing or rubbing the eyes.

Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes.

Tears can be inadequate and unstable for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if you don't produce enough tears or if you produce poor-quality tears. This tear instability leads to inflammation and damage of the eye's surface.

Dry eyes feel uncomfortable. If you have dry eyes, your eyes may sting or burn. You may experience dry eyes in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours.

Treatments for dry eyes may make you more comfortable. These treatments can include lifestyle changes and eye drops. You'll likely need to take these measures indefinitely to control the symptoms of dry eyes.