This is a common eye disease

Eye disease is a health disorder that is quite common in society. Complaints can be in the form of red eyes, itching, burning, vision problems, to blindness. Of the many eye diseases, there are several eye diseases that are common in Indonesia. Eye disease can strike anyone and at any time. The treatment also varies, some heal by itself, there is also a need for medical treatment (for example with eye pain medication) from an eye specialist. To anticipate this, do regular eye examinations so that eye disease is quickly detected and treated as early as possible.

Frequent Eye Diseases

Here are some common eye diseases that occur in Indonesia:

1. Conjunctivitis

This eye disease occurs when the soft tissue around the eyes becomes inflamed and makes the eyes red, runny, sore, and itchy. Conjunctivitis can be caused by irritation, allergies, or infection. If caused by a bacterial infection, the eyes can become festering. This condition is one of the things that often makes eye pain in children and adults. Treatment of conjunctivitis is tailored to the cause. If conjunctivitis is caused by an allergy, the treatment is to stay away from the allergen triggers and use antihistamine drugs. If caused by a viral infection, conjunctivitis can heal itself in a few days. As for conjunctivists caused by bacterial infections, treatment with eye drops or antibiotic eye ointment is needed.

2. Dry Eyes

Dry eyes can occur to anyone, but this complaint is more often experienced by the elderly and in women. Patients with dry eyes will feel the symptoms in the form of eyes that feel sandy or like there is a foreign object in the eye, red eyes, feels sore or itchy, and glare. The causes can vary, ranging from a lack of tear production, autoimmune diseases, infections, irritation, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, eyes too often exposed to wind or sunlight, to the side effects of drugs. Dry eyes can be treated with the use of tear drops (artificial tears), or drugs to increase tear production. In addition, the causes of dry eye also need to be identified and treated.

3. Cataracts

Cataract is the number one cause of blindness in Indonesia. This eye disease makes the eyepiece look cloudy so the vision becomes blurred. Most cataracts are suffered by people aged 60 years and over. But in some cases, cataracts can occur at a younger age, even in newborns. Apart from aging that makes the protein in the lens of the eye clot, cataracts can also be caused by diabetes, eye injury, UV exposure, smoking, and the side effects of certain drugs, such as corticosteroids and radiation therapy. If it interferes with vision, cataracts can be treated by cataract surgery.

4. Glaucoma

In Indonesia, glaucoma is estimated to affect about 6 million people. Glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged so that the sufferer has vision problems, even blindness. Damage to the optic nerve is caused by an increase in pressure in the eyeball due to the accumulation of fluid in the eye. Glaucoma can occur at any age, but it is more common in the elderly. This eye disease is one of the main causes of blindness for people over the age of 60 years. Treatment can be with oral medication or eye drops to reduce pressure in the eyeball. Other treatment steps can be surgery, both laser surgery and conventional eye surgery.

5. Abnormalities of refraction (blurred vision)

Refractive disorders make it difficult for sufferers to see clearly, because the focus of the eye does not fall at the point it should be. Normally, the focus of light or shadow on an object that is captured by the eye will fall on the back of the eye, namely on the retina. In people with refractive disorders, the focus of the light does not fall right on the retina. As a result, the object looks blurry. In addition, refractive abnormalities can also be caused by changes in the shape of the cornea or lens aging. Refractive disorders can be classified into four types, namely:

• Farsighted. Sufferers cannot see objects close clearly because the focus of light is behind the retina.
• Nearsighted. Objects in the distance look blurry due to the focus of the light in front of the retina.
• Presbyopia or old eyes, that is, the eye loses the ability to see things clearly as we get older. This eye disease is caused by muscles around the eye that lose elasticity and harden.
• Astigmatism or cylindrical eyes. This condition occurs because the cornea or lens of the eye is not curved like a circle, but rather convex or concave. As a result, long distance and close vision will look blurry.

6. Retinal disorders

Retinal disorders can affect any part of the retina, the layer behind the eye that functions to capture light and send images to the brain. Here are some common retinal disorders:

• Retinal detachment, which is the retina is torn or released due to excess fluid around it.
• Diabetic retinopathy, which is a retinal disorder that occurs in people with diabetes. Especially in diabetics who do not seek regular treatment.
• Epiretinal membrane, the scar tissue above the retina.
• Macular hole, which is a small defect in the middle of the retina. This condition can occur when the eye has been injured.
• Macular degeneration, which decreases the ability to see due to aging. Complaints can be in the form of a black dot (blind spot) in the middle of vision.
• Retinitis pigmentosa, which is a degenerative disease that affects the retina. Patients with eye disease can feel nearsighted at night, disturbed vision, or easily dazzled.

7. Corneal abnormalities

The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye that helps the eye focus on capturing light or images of an object, and protects the eye from germs, dust, and harmful substances. Various conditions that can attack the cornea are:

• Eye injury.
• Allergy.
• Keratitis, which is inflammation of the cornea due to infection or irritation of certain substances.
• Corna ulcer, which is a wound or ulcer in the cornea of ​​the eye due to infection, injury, or exposure to irritating substances in the eye. This eye disease can make the eyes ache, runny, glare, and even blindness.
• Corneal dystrophy, the cornea that loses its clarity due to the accumulation of certain substances on the surface or behind the corneal layer.

Apart from the various diseases above, there are still many types of eye diseases that can occur. If your vision suddenly blurred or the eyes feel pain, swelling, or discharge, immediately consult an eye doctor to get the right treatment according to the cause.