Specialty Eye Care
Eye Diseases & Conditions
Many eye conditions and diseases can affect your eyesight and/or have long-term consequences if not treated properly and promptly. If you think you or someone in your family has one of these conditions or diseases, please contact Focused Eye Care to schedule an exam and get more in-depth information.
Common eye conditions and diseases we manage
Our experienced team and state-of-the-art equipment allow us to diagnose and monitor and often treat a wide range of eye conditions at our Nashua and Milford offices. To learn more or to schedule an exam, please request an appointment with your eye care provider.
Anterior uveitis is inflammation affecting the iris at the front of the eye. It’s often triggered by an infection or your immune system’s response to an infection. Symptoms include blurry vision, floaters, eye pain, red eyes and sensitivity to light.
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, often caused when the tiny oil glands at the base of the eyelid become clogged. The eyelids can become irritated and itchy, and appear greasy and crusted with scales that cling to the lashes.
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye that makes your vision blurry or hazy and colors more muted. You may have trouble reading or doing other daily activities. Over time, cataracts can lead to vision loss. Cataracts are very common as people age and can be quickly treated with cataract surgery.
Color blindness –also known as color vision deficiency – means that you perceive colors differently than most people. You may have trouble telling the difference between certain colors or, in rare cases, not see color at all. Color blindness often runs in families and men are at higher risk than women. While there is no cure, special glasses and contact lenses can offset the color vision deficiency.
Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the tissue covering the white part of the eye. It is often the result of a bacterial or viral infection but can also be caused by allergies. Your eyes are typically red and itchy with excessive tearing and discharge. Pink eye is easily treated and rarely serious.
High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. This can lead to serious eye problems such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts and glaucoma. Often there are no early symptoms of diabetic eye disease, even as damage is being done to your eyes. If you are diabetic, it is particularly important to schedule regular exams with a Focused Eye Care doctor to detect and treat issues before they lead to vision problems or even blindness.
Digital eye strain has become a concern as both children and adults spend more time looking at computer, smartphone and ereader screens. Screen glare, poor lighting, improper posture, incorrect viewing distance and angle, reduced blinking and uncorrected vision problems contribute to digital eye strain. Signs of eye strain include itchy, tearing, dry and red eyes, as well as eye fatigue and difficulty focusing.
Dry eye is when you don’t naturally generate sufficient tears to moisten, cleanse and protect the eyes. When the protective coating formed by tears dries up, your eyes may feel gritty or burn, and can be more sensitive to light. In extreme cases, vision can be blurred. Treatment options vary depending upon the cause and severity of the condition.
Glaucoma is a serious eye condition caused by fluid that doesn’t drain from the eye as it should, increasing pressure in the eye and damaging the optic nerve. Often there are no symptoms in early stages and the disease is only detected in a regular eye exam. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over age 60, but early treatment can help manage it and halt its progression.
Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a vision problem where the brain favors one eye over the other, leading to impaired vision in the weaker one. This condition starts in childhood and is the most common cause of vision loss in kids. Symptoms can be subtle, so regular vision screenings between ages 1 and 5 are crucial for early detection and effective treatment.
The macula is the round area at the center of your retina and at the back of your eyeball that processes what you see directly in front of you. When the macula degenerates, symptoms can include distorted or blurred vision, difficulty seeing objects directly in front of you, and a growing blind spot in the center of vision. Common in people 65 and older, macular degeneration is the leading cause of permanent reading vision impairment. Treatment depends on whether the disease is in the early stage (dry macular degeneration) or advanced stage (wet macular degeneration).
Ocular hypertension is when fluid pressure inside the eye is elevated, but there is no optic nerve damage or visual field loss. Ocular hypertension places you at a higher risk for glaucoma. Treatments are available to lower high eye pressure before it damages the optic nerve or compromises vision. Treatment will reduce the risk of glaucoma but does not eliminate it.
Strabismus, known as “crossed eyes,” is a misalignment of the eyes, causing them to point in different directions. When each eye sends a different image to the brain, the brain often ignores the image from the weaker eye, leading to amblyopia (lazy eye). Strabismus is most often seen in children, although adult-onset stabismus may occur as the result of a neurological issue. Left untreated, strabismus can lead to multiple visual impairments.
