Terri Ramsey Beavers Around 93 million American adults are at a high risk of losing their eyesight in the future. Sadly, only half of these adults admit to visiting an eye doctor in the past year.
If your vision isn’t what it used to be or you’ve noticed changes in your eyes, it’s best to visit an eye doctor as soon as possible. You could be dealing with several eye conditions and not even know about it.
Keep reading to learn about the most common eye problems and how to tell if you’re experiencing one of them.
Dry Eyes Syndrome
Do you find yourself wondering, “Why are my eyes in pain and always feel dry?” If so, you could be suffering from dry eyes syndrome.
This condition happens when you are unable to produce enough tears to properly moisturize your eyes. Your eyes then dry out and start to burn and feel irritated.
Dry Eyes Syndrome can happen naturally with age or it can be attributed to certain medical conditions.
If you spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen, you may also be experiencing computer vision syndrome, which causes dry eyes. To learn more about this specific syndrome, check it out here.
Refractive Errors
More than 150 million Americans suffer from refractive errors, making it one of the most common eye issues. You may have even already been diagnosed with refractive errors but not realized the proper name for it.
Refractive errors are caused by the shape of your eye not allowing light to focus correctly on your retina. This causes poor vision. Examples of refractive errors include farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatisms, and presbyopia.
If you’re unsure about whether you have this condition, the most common symptom is blurred vision. Some people may also experience eye strain, double vision, and headaches.
Macular Degeneration
When it comes to eye diseases, you may also suffer from macular degeneration or age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
This disease is when the macula, a portion of the retina, wears down. This can cause blurred vision and even change your color perception. People who smoke, have high blood pressure, or are obese have a greater chance of suffering from AMD.
Macular degeneration can get worse over time if left untreated and may eventually cause permanent loss of vision.
Eye Problems Are Preventable
It’s time to stop asking, “why do my eyes hurt” and do something about the pain. You could be one of the many Americans suffering from these common eye problems.
If you notice any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with your optometrist immediately. Tell them what you’re experiencing and undergo a full eye evaluation. The sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner you can start treating the issue to prevent irreversible damage.
Looking for more ways to protect you and your family? Browse the large selection of health articles on our site for some great advice.
Image Attribution:
Adobe Stock royalty-free image #210370290, ‘Woman with eye problems outside’ uploaded by Adam Gregor, standard license purchased from ; file retrieved on July 5th, 2019. License details available at – image is licensed under the Adobe Stock Standard License.