Eye Conditions

If you have noticed a change in your vision, are having difficulty seeing under certain light conditions, or are experiencing headaches when reading or in front of a computer screen, it is possible you need professional optical advice.

Our team of expert optometrists at Holloway Vision are qualified to diagnose most conditions under which your eyes could need extra support or medication.

Some of these symptoms include:

Unable to read up close or see distances clearly.
Computer vision syndrome, creating dry eyes and headaches.
Dry eyes, which are bloodshot, itchy, scratchy and hot.
Watery or weeping eyes.
Crusty eyes, caused by conjunctivitis or allergies.
Painful eyes, blurred vision or floaters, possibly glaucoma or macular degeneration.
A family history of diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetes.

Low school performance, squinting, headaches and behavioural problems often indicate eye problems in children. We specialise in children’s eye care and offer a wide range of children’s services including colour vision testing, eye testing, vision therapy and behavioural optometry.

Holloway Vision is experienced and qualified to holistically assess your child’s vision. Recommendations may include vision therapy where by your child undertakes exercises to improve optical performance or reshaping of the eye using overnight lenses for clearer vision without the need for glasses.

Common Eye Conditions & Their Symptoms

Refractive Eye Conditions

Symptom: Blurred Vision

Refractive errors occur when the image you are looking at is not focussed properly onto the retina causing blurred vision. For perfectly clear vision, the image of a viewed object needs to be focussed onto the retina, just as a camera has to be focussed properly in order to take a clear picture.

There are four major refractive errors: myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism.

Myopia

Symptom: Distant Objects are Blurred

Myopia, commonly called short sightedness, is a condition in which light is focussed in front of the retina, resulting in blurred vision. Short sighted people can often see clearly at short distances, but will not be able to see distant objects clearly.

Treatment: glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery can assist in providing good distance vision.

For more information on Myopia, visit www.optometry.org.au.

Hyperopia

Symptom: Close objects are blurred, eye strain & headaches

Hyperopia or long sightedness is a condition where the eyes are not strong enough, so light is not focussed onto the retina. This results in blurred vision that is usually worse at shorter distances. The eye's lens and cornea focus light into an image on the retina, just as a camera lens focuses light on to a film. In a resting long sighted eye, the light is focused behind the retina and so the image is blurred.

Treatment: Glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery can assist in providing good vision.

For more information on Hyperopia, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Astigmatism

Symptom: Blurred vision at all distances

Astigmatism is a condition that is a focusing error which causes an asymmetric blur. If the curvature of the cornea is not the same in all directions (like the side of an Australian football) it will bend the light passing through it by different amounts producing astigmatism which causes blurred vision at all distances.

Treatment: Glasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery can assist in providing good vision.

Fore more information on Astigmatism, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Presbyopia

Symptom: Close objects are blurred

Presbyopia is the gradual reduction in the amount that the eye can change its focus, which becomes more noticeable between the ages of 40 and 50, as an inability to focus on near objects. Presbyopia can be corrected by an optical prescription specifically designed for close work.

Treatment: Reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals and progressive lenses (multifocals).

For more information on Presbyopia, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Cataract

Symptom: Clouded eye, distorted or blurred vision & glare

A Cataract is the clouding of the lens in the eye. Normally, light passes through the clear lens and is focused onto the retina. However, the natural aging process can cause the lens to become cloudy. The Cataract or cloudy lens blocks the passage of light through the eye and causes distorted or blurred vision, glare, or difficulty seeing in poor lighting conditions.

Treatment: Cataract surgery is performed on an out-patient basis. Once the cataract is removed, an intra-ocular lens (IOL) is placed where the cataract lens was removed, to restore your sight. The procedure normally takes less than 30 minutes and you can return home shortly after your procedure. Most people will enjoy improved vision the day after surgery or within a few days following the procedure.

They can return to their normal daily routines, including reading, driving, and exercise soon after surgery.

For more information on cataract, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Glaucoma

Symptom: Loss of Vision

Glaucoma is a disease that leads to damage of the optic nerve (the bundle of nerve fibres that carries information from the eye to the brain), which can then lead to vision loss and the possibility of blindness. Optic nerve damage usually occurs in the presence of high intraocular pressure, but glaucoma can occur with normal or even below-normal eye pressure.

There are several tests that can help detect glaucoma; these include OCT scanning, a visual field test, a dilated eye exam and tonometry (which measures the pressure inside of the eye). In addition, advanced imaging and photography is also performed.

Treatment: Currently, there is no “cure” for glaucoma; however, early diagnosis and treatment can control glaucoma before vision loss or blindness occurs. People at high risk for glaucoma should have an annual eye examination.

For more information on glaucoma, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Diabetes

Symptoms: Blurred vision, temporary or permanent blindness

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working adults. It damages the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive nerve tissue in your eye that sends visual images to your brain.

Blurred vision or temporary blindness can occur when blood vessels weaken, bulge and leak fluid into surrounding tissue, causing swelling - a condition called macular oedema. Abnormal new blood vessels may often grow on the retina, where they can bleed into the eye and block vision.

Treatment: Laser treatment or injections of newly developed drugs.

For more information on diabetes, visit: www.optometry.org.au.

Macular Degeneration

Symptom: Loss of straight ahead vision or blindness

Macular Degeneration (MD) is the leading cause of blindness in Australia. There are 2 types of MD, dry and wet. Dry MD is more common, causing about 90% of MD. It can develop so gradually that in the beginning stages you might not notice changes in vision. Wet MD is less common (about 10% of cases) but is more severe and may progress more rapidly.

Dry Macular Degeneration, in which the cells of the macula slowly begin to break down, is diagnosed in 90 percent of the cases. Eventually, there is a deterioration of the macular regions associated with the drusen deposits resulting in a spotty loss of "straight ahead" vision.

Wet Macular Degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow behind the macula, then bleed. "Straight ahead" vision can become distorted or lost entirely in a short period of time, sometimes within days. Wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 10% of the cases, however it results in 90% of the legal blindness.

Visit the MD Foundation webite for more information.

Dry Eyes

Symptom: Irritated, dry, scratchy, uncomfortable or red eye

The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears that do not have the proper chemical composition. Dry eye is more common as we age. It can also be caused by blinking or eyelid problems, medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives and antidepressants, a dry climate, wind and dust or general health problems like arthritis.

If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include irritated, scratchy, dry, uncomfortable or red eyes, a burning sensation, excessive tearing, blurred vision, or a feeling of something foreign in your eyes. Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes) and impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult.

Treatment: Various options tailored to the condition that may include eye drops and dietary supplements.

Floaters

Symptom: Floaters or Flashes

Tiny floaters and flashes blink through your vision that you can never catch when you direct your focus toward them. Almost everyone sees floaters at some time, but they can occur more frequently and become more noticeable as we get older.

Floaters are more common in people who:
• Are short sighted
• Have undergone cataract surgery
• Have had certain types of laser surgery
• Have had inflammation of the eye

Because floaters or flashes can be an indication of a serious problem, you should contact our rooms when:
• You see floaters for the first time
• You notice an increase in the number or size of floaters
• You experience the sudden onset of flashes

Treatment: In most cases no serious problems are found, but a complete eye examination is important. If there is damage to the retina, it needs to be diagnosed and treated immediately to prevent vision loss.

Dermodex (Eyelash Mites)

Symptom: Red eyes, crusty, itchy, inflamed eyelids, falling eye lashes

There are two known mites known to live in the human face. Demodex folliculorum are mites that live in the hair follicles, particularly in the eyelashes. These mites feed on the skin cells. Demodex brevis are mites that live in the oil glands of the skin and feed on the gland cells.

Common known causes of a Dermodex infestation are oily facial skin and regular use of eye makeup particularly mascara.

Treatment: BelphEx treatment, regular cleansing and antibiotics.