Eye Conditions

Optic nerve atrophy, also called optic neuropathy, is damage to the optic nerve from any cause.

Some of these causes include: diabetes, glaucoma, certain health problems associated with aging, brain tumors, head trauma, infection, multiple sclerosis, radiation, inflammatory blood vessel diseases, sleep apnea, excessive blood coagulation, high cholesterol, genetic disorders, poisoning, malnutrition, and drug side effects.

The optic nerve is the conduit between the retina of the eye and the visual processing center at the back of the brain. It contains 1.2 million nerve fibers that send sight signals to be processed by the brain. It is sheathed in the fatty nerve casing called myelin. Myelin protects nerves from damage and speeds nerve signals along. When it becomes damaged, nerves are exposed. Then they are very vulnerable to damage, much like an exposed
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A one-time treatment for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is gaining popularity in Europe. Oraya Therapy, made by US-based company Oraya Therapeutics, Inc., is being offered at more locations in Europe, including a National Health Service hospital in the UK and several hospitals in Germany.

Oraya Therapy has already been a regular treatment option in hospitals throughout Germany, the UK, and Switzerland, increasingly embraced by patients, doctors, and insurance providers. The one-time treatment is a non-invasive therapy for wet AMD patients meant to maintain or improve vision and decrease frequency of anti-vascular endothelial growth
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Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, and for many this is a chronic condition. It is a common condition that affects both adults and children. There are two kinds of blepharitis – anterior (front) and posterior (back) blepharitis. Anterior blepharitis affects the front of the eye, including the eyelid and eyelashes. It is often associated with a bacterial growth and/or an increase in the activity of the meibomian gland. Posterior blepharitis causes dry eyes and is created by the dysfunction of the meibomian gland. So it generally isn’t caused by a bacterial infection.

In the eyes, the meibomian glands (also called the “tarsal glands”) are a type of
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The eyes are not just the mirrors of our souls – they also reflect many of our diseases. Because they are the only place in the body where you can easily see blood vessels and even part of the brain via the optic nerve, they can be used to detect a number of diseases.

A large study of 120,000 people by the insurance company, VSP Vision Care, found that 34% of diabetes patients first found out about their disease from an eye exam. High blood pressure
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Watermelon is a great summer fruit, but it also has some powerful health benefits that you may not know about. The key nutrient in this tasty melon is lycopene, a carotenoid found in red fruits and vegetables, which is essential for eye health. Research has shown that a deficiency in lycopene is associated with macular degeneration. As such, it is important to maintain a diet rich in lycopene and other nutrients essential to preventing disease.

You’ve probably seen lycopene touted on bottles of tomato ketchup. It’s true that tomatoes are one source of lycopene, but ketchup
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In the case of choroidal neovascularization (CNV, also known as “wet” macular degeneration), new blood vessels are the cause of the problem. Yet normally when new blood vessels are created in the body, it is a good sign. For example, it is part of the way the body heals wounds. But with CNV, the blood vessels pose a problem because they originate in the choroid layer of the eye and pass through a weak part of the Bruch’s membrane, the innermost layer of choroid, then pass into the subretinal pigment epithelium (sub-RPE) or subretinal space. These blood vessels aren’t supposed to exist in this part of the eye, are weak and tend to leak, potentially substantially impairing vision.

Oxygen and nutrients are provided to the eye by the choroid. The choroid
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Excessive time spent in front of a computer, smartphone, or tablet screen can increase risk of macular degeneration, especially in young people.

The AOA’s survey focused on how much time parents thought their children spent on handheld devices. Their responses easily underestimated those of the children, aged 10 to 17, who reported (83%) that they use a handheld device for at least three hours a day, with 32 percent looking at a screen for more than an hour without glancing
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Research suggests that individuals with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) may benefit from a dietary iodine supplement. RP patients often experience retinal swelling as a result of Cystoid Macular Edema (CME). A study published in JAMA Ophthalmology showed swelling due to CME to be inversely related to iodine intake.

The study was conducted by researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, and Boston University School of Medicine. Using a
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Central Serous Choroidopathy, also known as Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) and Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC), is an eye condition which causes visual impairment. It usually occurs in one eye, and it is usually temporary. But studies show that both eyes are affected on a cellular level even when damage is only apparent in one eye.

CSC is characterized by fluid leakage beneath the retina. Fluid leaks from the layer of the eye called the choroid. This is a heavily vascularized membrane that nourishes the
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