Our eyesight is one of our most important assets and is something that we rely on all day every day. Unfortunately, there are many different diseases that can affect our eyes and eye health. Many of these diseases can put our vision at risk if they aren’t detected and treated quickly. For this reason, it can be very helpful to be aware of some of the most prevalent eye diseases and their development symptoms.

Studies suggest that over 25% of children have an undiagnosed vision problem that could be affecting their academic success, athletic performance, or just general day-to-day life. However, it’s not just children that are affected. Many adults go through life with substandard vision, with a large percentage never even realizing that their eyesight could be significantly improved without using prescription eyewear or surgery.

UV exposure can negatively affect your eyes and, subsequently, your vision. There are cases where exposure leads to conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, photokeratitis, pterygium, and pinguecula. Thus, it's important to always protect your eyes.

How are your visual skills? When it comes to our vision, most of us only think about how clearly we can see the world around us and how this impacts our day-to-day life. However, there is much more to vision than just clarity.

If you suffer from any eye condition, find out about the treatment options available. If you find yourself visiting an eye doctor regularly, it may be helpful to talk to your doctor about LASIK. You can find out if you are a good candidate for the treatment. Many optometrists or eye doctors refer their patients to certain surgeons for LASIK co-management.

If you are diabetic, work with your physician to control your blood sugar. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can lead to blindness in people living with diabetes. High levels of blood sugar injure blood vessels inside the retina and cause vision loss.

​​​​​​​How much time do you spend in front of a digital device, be it a computer, a tablet, a smartphone or another type of screen? Probably a good few hours each day. Studies have shown that the amount of time we spent looking at screens has risen steadily over the last few years, and during the current Covid-19 pandemic, we have been forced to rely on technology to keep us connected – to colleagues, friends and loved ones, ramping up our screen time even more.

With age, the central part of the retina, the macula, begins to degenerate. By age 60, sometimes earlier, people start having difficulties carrying out everyday chores. Writing, driving, cooking, dialing a phone and recognizing faces become a challenge. Their central vision fails, making it difficult to focus on objects straight ahead. This is macular degeneration.

Parents should determine early whether their children may be suffering from vision problems. Therefore, it is important to take your child for a pediatric eye exam as early as possible. According to some studies, up to 25 percent of school-aged kids and 10 percent of preschoolers have some sort of vision problem.

All patients are recommended to attend regular comprehensive eye exams that check the health and condition of your eyes as well as how clearly you can see. However, if you are serious about the sport, whether you are an amateur or professional athlete, you may also want to ask about an additional service that is known as sports vision testing.