Eye Health

EYE HEALTH IN LIVERPOOL

Below you will some brief information about a variety of conditions which can affect the eye.  For more detailed information, please speak to one of our optometrists.

DIABETES

Diabetic retinopathy or ‘retinopathy’ is damage to the retina (the ‘seeing’ part at the back of the eye) and is a complication that can affect people with diabetes. Retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among people of working age in the UK.

MACULAR DEGENERATION

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a painless eye condition that generally leads to the gradual loss of central vision but can sometimes cause a rapid reduction in vision.

Central vision is used to see what is directly in front of you. In AMD, your central vision becomes increasingly blurred, leading to symptoms such as:

• difficulty reading because the text appears blurry
• colours appearing less vibrant
• difficulty recognising people’s faces
• AMD usually affects both eyes, but the speed at which it progresses can vary from eye to eye.

AMD does not affect the peripheral vision (outer vision), which means it will not cause complete blindness.

CATARACTS

Cataracts are a very common eye condition. As we get older the lens inside our eye gradually changes and becomes less transparent (clear). A lens that has turned misty, or cloudy, is said to have a cataract. Over time a cataract can get worse, gradually making your vision mistier. A straightforward operation can usually remove the misty lens and replace it with an artificial lens to enable you to see more clearly again.

RETINAL DETACHMENT

Retinal detachment occurs when the thin lining at the back of your eye called the retina begins to pull away from the blood vessels that supply it with oxygen and nutrients.

Without prompt treatment, it will lead to blindness in the affected eye.

GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye conditions which cause optic nerve damage and can affect your vision. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve at the point where it leaves your eye.

RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA

Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common of a group of hereditary progressive retinal degenerations or dystrophies. There is considerable variation and overlap among the various forms of retinitis pigmentosa. Common to all of them is progressive degeneration of the retina, specifically of the light receptors, known as the rods and cones. The rods of the retina are involved earlier in the course of the disease, and cone deterioration occurs later. In this progressive degeneration of the retina, the peripheral vision slowly constricts and central vision is usually retained until late in the disease.

NYSTAGMUS

Nystagmus is continuous uncontrolled to and fro movement of the eyes. The movements may be in any direction. This means that the eyes will look like they are moving from side to side or up and down or even in circles. Most people with nystagmus have reduced vision.

Nystagmus is a sign of a problem with the visual system or the pathways that connect the eyes to the parts of the brain that analyse vision. These parts of the brain deal with eye movement. It is not really a condition in its own right.