Monday 22 April 2013
Pregnancy and Floaters
Together with many other bodily changes, pregnancy can affect the eyes and quality of vision. Hormonal changes during pregnancy are normally responsible for these changes. In most instances these changes are temporary, but occasionally they may indicate more serious conditions. Any concerns over vision problems or eye related changes during pregnancy should trigger consultations with the obstetrician and ophthalmic experts.
Due to hormonal changes pregnant women may experience anything from blurred vision and dry eyes, to irritation, especially for contact lens wearers. Diabetes sufferers may also be prone to the development or worsening of diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy.
Pregnant women complaining of seeing spots in vision should be taken very seriously, because these dark spots may be scotomata. These are stable and typically affect a larger area of the field vision, unlike floaters, which move across the field of vision and are quite normal, whether pregnant or not. Scotomata can be an indication of preeclampsia or eclampsia, which are pregnancy complications that can cause dangerously high blood pressure. Although unusual visual problems may arise, in most cases, eye damage is limited and normal vision will return on resolution of the high blood pressure.
Clearly, the best course of action is to seek professional help as soon as any eye problems become noticeable.
Click Here To Learn More About Eye Floaters
Tuesday 2 April 2013
Eye Cataracts
An eye cataract is the clouding over of the natural lens of
the eye, and is the most frequent cause of sight loss in those over the age of
40 and the primary reason for blindness throughout the world.
There are different types of eye cataracts, including:
Subcapsular Cataract
This occurs at the back of the lens, with those people
suffering from diabetes or those taking high steroid medication doses at higher
risk.
Nuclear Cataract
This type forms at the centre, or nucleus of the lens, and
is normally linked to ageing.
Cortical Cataract
Typically white, these usually start at the edge of the lens
and work their way into the centre, giving a spoke-like appearance. This type
usually occurs in the area of the lens that surrounds the nucleus, which is
called the lens cortex.
Eye Cataract Symptoms
At first, a cataract may have very little effect on vision,
but a first sign could be a blurring of vision, similar to looking through
cloudy glass. Sunlight or lamplight may seem to be excessively bright, colour
may be duller, and when night driving, the glare from oncoming headlights may
be increased.
If eye cataracts are suspected, an eye examination should be
undertaken for confirmation. Other than ageing, there are other risk factors
for the development of eye cataracts including:
-Diabetes
-Obesity
-Smoking
-Hypertension
-Alcohol consumption
-Prolonged steroid medication use
-Family history
This list is by no means complete, but what is clear is that
lifestyle changes can be of great benefit for many eye problems, ranging from
eye floaters to eye cataracts.
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