eye conditions
The Eye Practice aims to provide you with as much information as possible about any eye conditions you may have or that you may wish to learn about. For more information and to watch a short video on the eye conditions you are interested in, please 'click for more' under the conditions below.
common conditions
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Dry eye is a condition that occurs due to a loss of water in the tear film. As a result, the tear film becomes saltier leaving the surface of the eye dry causing a stinging, burning sensation.
This loss of water in the tear film is due to either... click here for more
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the name given to a group of sight threatening eye diseases in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is slowly destroyed. The optic nerve is responsible for relaying the visual information of what you are seeing, back to the brain.
With Glaucoma, the destruction of the optic nerve occurs gradually over time and... click here for more
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration (MD) is a progressive degeneration of the macular tissue of the eye, resulting in loss of central vision.
The macula is the central part of the retina, found at the back of the eye, that is responsible for processing central visual images. Right now you are using your macula to... click here for more
Diabetic Eye Disease
With 1 in 2 Australian adults currently overweight, diabetes and diabetic eye disease is an alarming concern. Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that may develop as a complication of diabetes including diabetic retinopathy... click here for more
Cataracts
A leading cause of vision impairment, cataract is a clouding of the clear lens in the eye which sits just behind the pupil and iris (the black and coloured circles of the eye).
When sight begins to deteriorate due to cataract, vision may be improved through the use of... click here for more
High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol
In today’s stressful, fast-paced environment, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease are on the increase and the health of your eyes could be affected.
The Eye Practice provides comprehensive, non-invasive examinations to evaluate the health of your eyes and determine if your vision is being affected by any of these conditions.
Back to topFocusing Conditions
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Eyestrain is a type of eye discomfort that occurs due to the overuse of the eye muscles. Prolonged amounts of reading, computer work or close work can cause the eye muscles to strain leading to discomfort, dryness and irritation.
If eyestrain is left untreated, the symptoms may worsen and begin to affect your general well-being... click here for more
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a combination of eyestrain and body muscle strain that is experienced during or related to computer use... click here for more
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is characterised by thinning of the central part of the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye). As a result of this thinning, the normally rounded cornea develops a cone-like bulge causing distortion of the vision. Abnormalities of the cornea can severely affect the way we see the world, including simple tasks such as driving, watching TV, or reading a book.
Keratoconus is not a blinding disorder, however... click here for more
Myopia (Short-sightedness)
Myopia, or more commonly known short-sightedness, is a vision condition in which close objects are seen clearly, but objects in the distance appear blurred. Myopia occurs if the eyeball is longer than usual or if the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, has too much curvature. As a result, the light entering the... click here for more
Hyperopia (Long-sightedness)
Hyperopia, or more commonly known long-sightedness, is a vision condition in which distance objects are generally seen clearly, but close objects appear blurred. In greater amounts of hyperopia the vision may be blurred at all distances. Hyperopia occurs if the eyeball is... click here for more
Astigmatism (rugby ball shaped eyes)
Astigmatism is a vision condition that can cause blurred vision at any distance. Astigmatism is due to either the irregular shape of the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, or the irregular curvature of the lens inside the eye. As a result, the light entering the eye cannot... click here for more
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a vision condition where by the natural lens inside the eye loses its flexibility, making it difficult to focus on close objects.
The loss of flexibility in the lens takes place over a number of years and usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-40’s. Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye and... click here for more
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Eye Muscle Conditions
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Double vision is characterised by seeing two images instead of one when looking at a single object. Double vision is usually caused by an eye muscle imbalance.
There are 6 muscles that are attached to each of our eyeballs that are responsible for moving our eyes into different directions. If one or more eye muscles are not functioning correctly then double vision may result.
Some people may experience double vision just out of one eye. This is termed monocular double vision and is not due to a muscle imbalance but instead other ocular pathology.
The underlying cause of double vision can in some cases be very serious therefore if you are experiencing double vision contact The Eye Practice immediately for an eye exam or further advice on (02) 9290 1899.
Strabismus/Squint (Eye turn)
A strabismus or squint is the misalignment of the two eyes which may be constant or intermittent. When the eyes are misaligned they do not function together properly as a pair.
A strabismus usually presents in childhood and... click here for more
Amblyopia (lazy eye)
Amblyopia, or more commonly lazy eye, is poor vision in one or both eyes due to a lack of stimulation to the retina (the back inside surface of the eye that relays information to the brain) during the critical development period in childhood (from birth to around 7 – 8 years of age).
Common underlying causes of a lack of stimulation include squint (misalignment of the eye), uncorrected refractive error (e.g. long-sightedness or astigmatism), ptosis (droopy upper eyelid obscuring the pupil) and cataract.
It is very important that amblyopia is detected early (approximately before the age of 7 - 8 years) in order to try to improve the weak vision. If amblyopia is not detected before this critical age, treatment is less likely to be effective.
Blepharospasm (twitching eye muscles/eyelids)
Blepharospasm is characterised by abnormal, involuntary blinking or spasm of the eyelids. Blepharospasm may begin with a gradual increase in blinking or eye irritation and as the condition progresses these symptoms become more frequent.
There are several treatment options available to reduce the severity of blepharospasm including oral medications and botulinum toxin (BOTOX). Botulinum toxin is injected into the muscles of the eyelids and temporarily paralyzes these muscles relaxing the spasm.
Back to topEye Infections
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation and/or infection of the thin layer of skin that covers the white of the eye situated underneath the eyelids.
Conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by... click here for more
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is chronic inflammation of the eye lids and is a very common condition. Blepharitis is characterised by redness and a crusting along the lash line of the eyelids. The symptoms may consist of a gritty sensation and sore eye lids. In more severe cases, deformity of the eyelids may occur resulting in the eyelashes growing inwards.
Blepharitis is commonly associated with... click here for more
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Cysts & Growths
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Stye (Cyst)
A stye, also known as a 'sty' or cyst, is a pimple like lump that can develop on the inside or ouside edge of the eyelids. Styes occur when the meibomian glands of the eyelids become blocked resulting in a build up of sebum (the oil and mucus produced by the meibomian glands). They may also arise as a result of infection in the meibomian gland.
Styes can occur at any age. The signs of a stye are generally... click here for more
Chalazion
A chalazion, is a pimple like lump in the eyelid that looks similar to a cyst. Chalazions occur when the meibomian glands of the eyelids become blocked causing a build up of sebum (the oil and mucus produced by the meibomian glands). They may also arise as a result of infection in the meibomian gland.
The signs of a chalzion are... click here for more
Pterygium
Pterygium is fleshy tissue that grows from the corner of the eye on the sclera (the white of the eye) toward the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye). It most commonly occurs on the inner corner of the eye and grows in a triangular shape.
Pterygium is usually caused by... click here for more
Pinguecula
A pinguecula is a small, slightly raised yellow growth that forms on the sclera (white of the eye). Pingueculae are often confused with pterygia, however pingueculae generally do not grow over the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye).
Pingueculae are usually caused by... click here for more
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Floaters & Spots
Vitreous Floaters
You may sometimes notice spots moving across your vision and these are known as 'floaters'. They are often easily seen when looking at a plain white background.
Floaters can appear as spots, strands or other shapes in your vision. Floaters are actually... click here for more
Vitreous Detachment
The centre of the eye contains a gel-like substance called vitreous that helps the eye to maintain its round shape. As we age, the vitreous becomes more liquified and slowly shrinks, and the fibres within the vitreous start to pull away from the... click here for more
Retinal Detachment
The retina is the back inner surface of the eye that relays visual information to the brain. When the retina separates from its supporting underlying tissue, this is known as a retinal detachment.
Retinal detachment is a serious and sight-threatening eye condition. The retina cannot function and relay visual information to the brain when it is... click here for more
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Red Eye
Subconjunctival Haemorrhage
A subconjunctival haemorrhage arises when the small blood vessels burst beneath the tissue covering the white of the eye known as the conjunctiva.
A subconjunctival haemorrhage is characterised by redness or a blood-shot appearance of the white of the eye... click here for more
N.B. If searching for eye conditions with symptoms of red eye, please also see Eye Infections.
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PLEASE READ: The information given under Eye Conditions is of a general nature and is not intended to be advice on any particular matter. Please take the appropriate Optometrical advice before acting on any information given under Eye Conditions of The Eye Practice web-site.