Common Eye Conditions

At Glen Eden Optometrists we are able to assist on an extensive array of issues relating to the health of your eyes.

Have a read of the information below and if anything seems familiar please feel free to reach out.

Myopia Control

Myopia (short-sightedness) causes distant objects to become blurry, whilst near objects remain clear. The causes of myopia and its progression are not well-proven, but it has been shown to be associated with genetics, growth and prolonged intense near work. Research indicated that by 2050 over half the worlds population will be myopic. For most children it emerges between 9-13 years old and can continue to progress into the early ’20s; this means that even with a slow rate of change a child can end up with high levels of myopia. This, unfortunately, results in a greater risk of eye disease such as Myopic Macular Degeneration, Cataract, Glaucoma and Retinal Detachments.

Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration is a complex disease with the exact cause unknown; environmental and genetic factors may be involved and it is the leading cause of blindness in the over 65 age group. There are two types of ARMD – wet and dry. Dry ARMD is more common and tends to progress more slowly. Wet ARMD involves abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina and leaking blood and fluid, this causes a more rapid loss of vision.

Glaucoma

More than 70,000 New Zealanders aged 40 years and older have glaucoma, and at least half of these do not know they have it. A comprehensive examination is the only way to diagnose the beginning stages of glaucoma. As part of our standard eye examination, we assess the health of your optic nerve and eye pressure; taking this information into consideration as well as your family history we may do other testing including visual fields and Intra Ocular Pressure measurement to assess if you are at risk of glaucoma and arrange an appropriate referral.

Dry Eye

On the front of everyone's eye is a thin layer of 'tears'. This is required to keep the eye comfortable and dry eyes occur when the eyes cannot produce enough tears, or when tears evaporate too quickly. If your eyes constantly feel dry, gritty or sandy, you may suffer from dry eyes. Other symptoms include red, irritated eyes, and one of the most common symptoms of dry eye is an eye that frequently waters.

Some reasons for dry eye occurring can include:

Using a computer
Wearing contact lenses
Use of some medications
Inflammation in eyelid glands of eyelash follicles

Keratoconus

Keratoconus is an eye disease that affects the cornea (the front surface) of the eye, it results in an irregular cornea causing distorted (blurred) vision. Usually, keratoconus develops in the teens but may begin before the age of ten or not until adulthood.

The word keratoconus is derived from Latin words, kerato- "cornea" and -conus meaning "cone-shaped". This describes the normally round-shaped cornea becoming cone-shaped with the progression of the condition, the cornea also tends to thin with progression. Keratoconus is a painless condition although it can cause some ocular irritation in more advanced cases.

Colour Vision

People with colour blindness or colour deficiency (a more accurate description) do not distinguish the same differences in colour that a person with normal colour vision does. They may only see four colour bands (yellow-orange, grey, blue and violet) and may find distinguishing pastel colours very difficult. Some people with colour deficiency will confuse blue-green shades with grey, and others may not be able to tell the difference between yellow, brown and green. Usually, a person with a colour deficiency has inherited it, but colour vision deficiency can also be acquired through retinal eye disease, optic nerve disease, brain damage, or from exposure to certain medicines or chemicals.

Cataracts

A cataract occurs when the clear lens of your eye becomes cloudy. Most cataracts are related to aging but may be delayed by UV protection with sunglasses or photochromic lenses and stop smoking if you are a smoker.

Our examination will fully investigate the presence and progression of any cataract. Often the eyes will become myopic (short-sighted) before cataracts cloud up which necessitates glasses change.