Optimal Eye Care in Boulder—Protecting People From Serious Eye Issues

Many people put off having their eyes checked by an optometrist until there is a problem. While optometrist and ophthalmic doctors are very good at treating sudden problems, they would prefer that people come in for regular checkups.

Basic eye care Boulder, including annual checkups, can help eye doctors to find problems before they become major issues.

5 Eye Problems That Can Lead to Major Damage If Not Caught Early

1. Uveitis

Uveitis is a disease of the middle of the eye. A patient will experience sudden pain, redness, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. The fluid in the center of the eye—called the Vitreous fluid—becomes inflamed. The inflammation and resultant loss of vision can have a number of causes, including cancer, an inflammatory disease (like Crohn’s disease), an autoimmune disease, or an infection. If left unattended it can lead to permanent loss of vision.

2. Retinal Detachment

Often caused by head trauma, retinal detachment causes blurred vision and can lead to blindness if it’s not taken care of as soon as possible. This eye issue is often seen in boxers—who experience head trauma regularly—and elderly people. 

The trauma can cause the retina to detach or small tears in the retina can lead to the Vitreous fluid leaking into the back of the eye, which causes the retina to continue to tear and detach from the back of the eye. Surgery is needed to reattach the retina. If this surgery happens, sight can be restored.

3. Diabetic Eye Disease

Patients with Diabetes are at risk of developing Diabetic Eye Disease. This is a condition in which high levels of blood sugar damage the small blood vessels of the retina. The retina is tissue in the back of the eye that detects light and sends a message to the Optic Nerve so that the brain recognizes the light. High sugar levels cause the blood vessels to bleed, which distorts the patient’s vision, eventually to the point of blindness.

4. Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus that is found in soil wherever bird or bat droppings accumulate. People who sweep chicken coops or plow fields are at risk for inhaling the fungus. Symptoms aren’t always noticeable. Most people experience flu-like symptoms; but in some cases, the fungus can cause serious eye problems. Ocular histoplasmosis syndrome is actually the leading cause of vision impairment and loss in people between the ages of 20 and 40 in the US.

  

5. Trauma

Blindness is most commonly caused by eye disease, as opposed to eye injury. The majority of people experiencing eye trauma recover fully. This doesn’t mean that an injury shouldn’t be evaluated by an eye professional. Four percent of people who have an eye injury end up blind, while 11 percent experience impaired vision.

Eye Care in Boulder—Promoting Optimal Eye Health

Regular eye care in Boulder is the best way to prevent eye diseases and blindness. Eye specialists do all they can to protect the eye health of their patients.