The Most Common Eye Problems

There Are Many Causes Of Eye Problems

The following list describes many of the most common eye problems and their causes. Many of them have separate articles on this website. Click on the links for additional, more detailed information about a specific eye problem. 

Also see our sections on eye diseases and vision problems.

Acanthamoeba Keratitis - Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare but serious eye problem that occurs when amoebae invade the cornea. Often the amoebae come from contaminated water (be careful where you swim). Poor contact lens hygiene often causes this eye infection which can threaten your eyesight.

Amblyopia or lazy eye - Lazy eye is a condition in which one eye dominants the other. Amblyopia usually develops in young children. It can lead to permanent eyesight problems if not treated early.

Blepharitis - This is an inflammation of the eyelids. Blepharitis is one of those eye problems that sometimes results from a low grade bacterial infection or a skin disorder. It can cause chronic eye irritation, tearing, and crusty debris. It can also make you feel as if you have a foreign body in your eye.

Cataracts - This occurs when protein in the lens of your eye clumps and causes cloudy vision. Cataracts happen mostly in the elderly, and can be corrected with surgery in which the natural lens is replaced with an artificial one.

Chalazion - This is a lump on the eyelid from a clogged oil gland. A chalazion sometimes becomes inflamed. Surgical removal may be necessary in certain cases.

Color blindness - This condition is characterized by an inability to distinguish color differences. Color blindness is usually inherited but may also occur because of eye, nerve, or brain damage, or exposure to certain chemicals.

Corneal ulcer - A corneal ulcer is an open sore on the cornea that's also known as ulcerative keratitis. It's commonly called an eye sore. It may be caused by injury, dryness due to lack of tear production, or infection.

Detached retina - The retina is the light-sensitive membrane covering the back wall of the eyeball. Sometimes it peels away from its underlying layer of support tissue. A detached retina is a serious eye problem that requires quick attention. Symptoms include flashes of light and floating spots.

Dry Eye There are a number of conditions that can cause dry eye syndrome. Usually occurs when the tear-flow system of the eye is out of balance. However, it can also because by environmental factors

Occlusions - Some people call these "eye strokes." A clot or blockage interrupts blood flow to parts of the eye, causing sudden vision damage.

Eye twitching and tics - There are many possible causes. See eye twitching. It may also be called "eye spasms" or "blinking disorder."

Eye floaters and spots - Eye floaters are generally harmless, and occur in many people over the age of 40. Eye floaters cause tiny blurry spots in your field of vision. 

Macular hole - This often happens in the elderly and people with diabetes. Vision suddenly becomes blurry or distorted. See macular degeneration.

Ocular migraine - This is a common but incorrectly used term for an ophthalmic migraine. Usually painless but frightening because it gives you the sensation of looking through shattered glass.

Optic neuritis and optic neuropathy - This is an inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause pain, blurry vision and blind spots. It may develop in an hour, or over the course of several hours.

Photophobia - You may be familiar with it as light sensitivity. It's often caused by eye damage like a corneal abrasion or when the pupil can't constrict normally and too much light is let in.
 
Strabismus - Strabismus is commonly known as crossed eyes.

Eye Stye - An eye stye is an eye infection that resembles a sore, pimple or boil that grows in the skin surrounding the eye.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage - This eye problem results from a broken blood vessel of the white part of the eye. The eye suddenly becomes reddened.

Conclusion The descriptions above constitute only a partial list of the most common eye problems. Click on eye diseases and conditions for information on many others.