Articles

Eylea is a drug that is injected into your eye to treat wet AMD, diabetic eye disease, and retinal vein occlusion. This drug type is called “anti-VEGF.” That is because it blocks a chemical called VEGF. VEGF causes abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak fluid in the eye, affecting vision. Your ophthalmologist

After some types of retinal surgery, you will need to keep your head in a face-down position. This is because a gas bubble has been put in your eye. Recovering with your head down allows the bubble to float into the correct position. The bubble holds the retina in place to heal correctly. Your doctor

Farsightedness is a refractive error. Because the eyeball is too short (from front to back) or the cornea is too steep, light does not refract (bend) properly as it travels through the eye. Most farsighted people have clear distance vision, but their near vision is blurry. Symptoms include eyestrain,

Floaters are dark specks or dots in your field of vision. They are shadows you see from clumps of vitreous gel in your eye. Flashes are flashes of light that look like lightning streaks in your field of vision. Flashes occur when the vitreous gel rubs or pulls on your retina. Floaters and flashes are

Certain cells pump fluid from our cornea to keep it clear. With Fuchs’ dystrophy, these cells gradually die and fluid builds up. The cornea gets swollen and puffy, and over time, vision becomes cloudy or hazy. Early treatment may include using a hair dryer to blow warm air on your face, drying your

Fungal keratitis is an infection of the cornea. It can develop quickly from an eye injury or contact lens use. It can cause blindness if it is not treated. Proper use and care of contact lenses can reduce your risk of getting a fungal infection. Treatment of fungal keratitis usually includes antifungal

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammation (swelling) of the arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. When arteries swell, it reduces the blood flow through these vessels. GCA affects the arteries in the neck, upper body and arms. It is also called cranial or temporal

Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) is when the inside of your eyelid gets red, swollen, and irritated. This is usually caused by contact lenses. Treatment may include avoiding wearing contact lenses, trying a new type of lens, or limiting how much time you wear contacts each day. You may also be prescribed

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the eye’s optic nerve. This nerve becomes damaged when pressure inside the eye builds up from too much fluid. When the optic nerve is damaged, it can cause blindness. Ophthalmologists treat glaucoma with medicine and surgery. Because glaucoma has no symptoms, it is

A glaucoma drainage implant is a type of device put in your eye by surgery to treat glaucoma. It may also be called an aqueous shunt or a tube shunt. The implants create a new way for aqueous humor to drain from the eye. This helps to lower eye pressure. If you have any questions about your eyes or your

Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism) is a problem with the thyroid gland. It is when the thyroid gland makes too much hormone. Muscles and tissue around the eye are affected. People with Graves’ disease may have retracted eyelids or bulging eyes. They can suffer from dry eye and double vision. Artificial

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This virus causes the body’s immune system to break down. AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV causes AIDS. Someone has AIDS when their immune system is no longer able to keep them healthy. People with HIV who are otherwise in good health

Headache, or pain in any part of your head, is very common. Most of the time, it is not serious. They are often triggered by things like stress, certain foods, alcohol or being tired. There are many different kinds of headaches, including tension, cluster and migraine headaches. All of these can be treated

A hemangioma is a non-cancerous tumor caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels. Hemangiomas can occur anywhere on the body, but are most commonly found on the face and neck. Hemangiomas can be on the eyelids, the surface of the eye, or in the eye socket. When that happens, the hemangioma may interfere

Herpes keratitis is a viral infection of the eye caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The infection can be transferred to the eye by touching an active lesion (a cold sore or blister) and then your eye. Almost everyone is exposed to the HSV during childhood. After the original infection, it lies