The most common symptom of myopia is blurred vision at a distance caused by the image falling inside the eye instead of on the retina, the light sensitive screen at the back of the eye. For low degrees of myopia glasses may only be used for tasks requiring clear long distance vision, for [...]
Hyperopia is caused when the image is focused behind the retina. For low to moderate degrees of hyperopia, particularly in younger people, the condition can go undetected without a formal eye examination. This is because we are able to adjust the focus to give clear distance vision using the [...]
Astigmatism occurs when the image is distorted, or more blurred in one direction than another. The most common cause for astigmatism is the cornea at the front of the eye having two unequal curves (like a rugby football) rather than having the same curvature in all directions. If uncorrected it [...]
Presbyopia is the eyes’ loss of ability to see clearly at normal reading distances, a normal part of the aging process. (Literally “old eye”, the over 40’s problem!) As the lens inside the eye naturally ages it becomes thicker and less flexible. This results in a loss of ability to change focus [...]
Cataracts are a cloudiness that can form in the clear lens of the eye. Poor vision results because the cloudiness interferes with light entering the eye and reaching the retina. The clear lens in the eye adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. [...]
What is it? Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is damaged. This process progresses very slowly and destroys vision gradually, starting with the peripheral (side) vision. It is a major cause of sight loss in Australia, and it is [...]
What is it? The macula is the central part of the retina where our vision is most sensitive and clearest. The retina is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, the “projection screen” which receives all the images. It is responsible for your ability to read, recognise [...]
What is it? About a million Australians have diabetes mellitus and within 15 years of onset, more than 70% of these will develop a diabetic eye disease. Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe [...]
Keratoconus – what is it? Keratoconus is a disease of the cornea (the curved, clear window at the front of the eye) that is often visually debilitating. In keratoconus there is a thinning of the cornea, and as a result, the cornea develops a cone-like bulge and becomes distorted. The [...]
What is it? Colour blindness is not a form of blindness at all, but a deficiency in the way you see colour. With this vision problem, you have difficulty distinguishing certain colours, such as blue and yellow or red and green. Red-green colour deficiency is the most common form of colour [...]