The eye is the vital organ that lets us access our sense of sight, and there is no other known alternative. Technology is yet to replicate how our eyes work in a perfect manner. However, like any other parts and organs within our body, it is subjected to degradation over time. Hence, visiting an eye clinic in Singapore remains essential to the organ’s maintenance.

Our eyes have helped us navigate through life and perform everyday tasks. Yet we often take it for granted. It is an astonishing and complex organ within our body, and each has over 2 million parts that are moving and working together to make the organ function. With this complexity comes the beautiful fragility of our eyes. Bad habits, poor lifestyle and diet, ageing, and excess vices can damage and hasten the deterioration of our eye’s vision.

It makes sense for us to develop a keen awareness of how our eyes function, including the related diseases or conditions and the risk factors. Visiting an eye specialist in Singapore can provide assistance on what we should do and avoid to ensure the long-term preservation of our sight. After all, it is difficult to perform your everyday task when your vision is clouded or when it is generally hard for you to see things clearly the way they are before. Poor eyesight can interfere with your daily life.

Common Vision Problems You Need To Know

When you fail to take care of your eye while you are young, you are exposing yourself to a greater risk of experiencing eye disease and vision problems. While ageing is one of the primary leading causes of eye degeneration, your vision can decline faster when you lack the awareness and knowledge to preserve good eye health.

Some eye problems and diseases are curable, and some are not. The other will require consistent treatment with an eye specialist, while others need adjustment to daily lifestyle. Here are the most common vision problems and eye diseases:

Cataract

A cataract is often best described as a clouding of your eye’s lens. Your visions become blurry as if you’re seeing through a frosty window. It makes it difficult for you to perceive things visually—which means you will have more difficulty driving and reading. According to the CDC, cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Cataract problems are common among individuals over the age of 50 and above. However, it can occur at any age. Children and infants can experience cataract problems as well. It is caused by ageing or changes in the eye’s tissues. Visiting an eye clinic for surgery can help remove the cloudy lens and replace it with artificial ones.

Symptoms of cataracts include: blurry or distorted vision, poor night vision, colours appear faded, you see a halo around the lights and sensitivity to glare and light.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is another eye disease that might sound familiar to many, and it’s also one of the leading causes of vision loss—if not treated right earlier. Glaucoma is a result of damage to the optic nerve connecting the eye to the brain. Your optic nerve provides visual information that is transmitted to the brain. The injury in the optic nerve is caused by a fluid build-up at an above-normal rate at the frontal eye part, increasing the pressure within.

Every eye specialist can help treat glaucoma by providing prescription medicine to help reduce eye pressure. In some cases, surgery or laser therapy might be more viable.

Symptoms of glaucoma include: intense eye pain, headache, tenderness in the eye, blurry vision, the eye appears red, nausea and even vomiting.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye problem often associated with ageing. The disorder affects the macula—a portion at the central retina that helps process clear, straight-ahead vision. It is responsible for allowing us to see details in objects clearly.

When you have AMD, your central vision appears blurry. However, AMD can either be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’. A dry AMD is the thinning of the macula, which further blurs your vision. On the other hand, a wet AMD is a more ‘serious’ concern where abnormal blood vessels grow into the macula. These vessels are often weak, which results in the vessels leaking fluids. Untreated wet AMD can lead to vision loss. Hence you should visit an eye specialist clinic for regular checks up.

There is no known treatment to cure AMD. However, medications and therapies are available to slow down the progress and prevent vision loss. An eye specialist can either conduct eye injections, prescribed drugs or use laser/light therapy.

Symptoms of age-related macular degeneration include dark spots in the central part of your vision, a distorted area in your vision, difficulty adapting to low light levels, and increasing blurriness.

Establishing An Eye Care Routine For A Positive Eye Health

Your everyday life relies on what you can see. If you want to preserve your vision and avoid those mentioned eye disorders and other complications, here’s what you need to follow:

• Visit an eye specialist once or twice a year for check-ups.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV radiation from sunlight.
• Wear protective eyewear when working or playing sports to prevent eye injuries.
• Exercise regularly to prevent diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which can affect your vision and lead to eye problems.
• Eat healthily and have a balanced diet to provide enough nutrients to enhance your eyesight and prevent early eye degeneration.
• Give your eyes a rest every hour for a few minutes by blinking to reduce eyestrain.
• If you wear eye contacts, clean them regularly to avoid eye infections.
• Avoid smoking to prevent the risk of developing age-related eye disorders.

For an eye specialist clinic in Singapore, visit Nova Eye Centre for professional and comprehensive eye treatment solutions with over 20 years of experience.