Nearsightedness, or myopia, occurs when the cornea has too much curvature or the eyeball is too long from front to back. Objects nearby appear in focus, but objects farther away are out of focus.
Farsightedness, or hyperopia, occurs when the cornea has too little curvature or the eyeball is too short from front to back. Objects in the distance are sharper than object nearby, but usually the entire visual field is slightly out of focus.
Astigmatism is caused when a cornea or lens is not equally rounded in all directions. Certain portions of the visual field will appear out of focus.
Glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged by a buildup of pressure in the eye, causing blind spots. It usually develops slowly and may not be noticed until permanent damage has already occurred.
Macular Degeneration is caused by a breakdown of the central part of the retina, or macula, causing loss of vision in the center of the visual field. Aging is the leading cause of macular degeneration, and genetics may increase one’s risk of developing the disease.
Cataracts create a cloudiness of the eye’s crystalline lens, which sits behind the pupil and is responsible for focusing light. Cataracts can cause vision to become cloudy and yellowish, and can cause difficulty with bright sunlight, glare, or driving at night. Cataracts develop with aging and many people start to have some clouding of their lenses by the age of 50, although noticeable vision problems may not occur until years later.
Diabetic Eye Disease occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the eye’s blood vessels. While diabetic eye disease is the most common cause of blindness in the U.S., it is often preventable with early detection and treatment.
Visit East Tennessee Eye Surgeon’s website for a visual simulation of how your eyesight might appear with some of these common eye diseases. If your vision is blurry, out-of-focus, or has changed, it’s time to see one of our doctors for a comprehensive eye examination.
East Tennessee Eye Surgeons specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of both the common and more complex eye diseases. With two locations at 7800 Conner Road in Powell and 744 Middle Creek Road, Suite 200 in Sevierville, East Tennessee Eye Surgeons delivers the highest quality eye care in an exceptional setting. Visit our website to learn more about us, or call us at 865-546-1464 (Powell) or 865-908-7008 (Sevierville).