Top

Common Eye Diseases

Ocular Disease Management: How Our Optometrists In Vancouver Can Help

To ensure optimal eye health, regular eyes exams should be conducted to ensure early detection of eye diseases. Combined with ongoing monitoring and treatment, the likelihood for a better prognosis is usually higher. By working together with your family doctor and other eye health care providers, Vision West’s optometrists can help co-manage the following ocular diseases:

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that affects more than 500,000 Canadians every year. Patients with diabetes are encouraged to have regular and comprehensive eye exams annually. Diabetes can have a negative effect on eyes at the circulatory level. Potential complications include bleeding of the small blood vessels behind your eyes, which could lead to vision loss. Are you or someone you know suffering from diabetes? For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of this ocular disease related to diabetes, please visit one of Vision West’s Optometrists in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for a comprehensive eye exam and screening.

What Is Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in people 55 years old and up in North America. This particular disease is caused by deterioration of the macula, which is the central portion of the retina. The retina is the inner layer of the eye that’s responsible for collecting and transmitting light signals from the eye and sending it to the brain for interpretation into vision. The macula is responsible for detailed vision and it is the macula that allows humans to see 20/20. When there is a deterioration of the macular, central vision loss can occur. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of macular degeneration, please visit one of Vision West’s Optometrists in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

What Are Cataracts?

More than 2.5 million Canadians have cataracts, making it the leading cause of vision loss for seniors in Canada. Cataracts are painless, develop within the lenses in your eyes, and are usually detected during routine eye exams. As you age, your lenses naturally harden and may, unfortunately, also turn cloudy. A cloudy lens has a tendency to block light from reaching the retina and interferes with vision. The effect is similar to looking through the dirty windshield of a car. Cataracts may form in one or both eyes, at the same time or at different times. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of cataracts, please visit one of Vision West’s Optometrists in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for a comprehensive eye exam.

What Is Glaucoma?

More than 250,000 Canadians experience glaucoma, thus making this ocular disease the second most common cause of vision loss for people in Canada. Glaucoma is characterized by damage to the optic nerve which is most often caused by high pressure inside the eye due to a build up of excess fluid. If left untreated, patients might first experience a loss of peripheral vision before potentially losing complete sight. Early detection and treatment through comprehensive and regular eye exams is essential to preventing severe vision loss or blindness. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of macular degeneration, please visit one of Vision West’s Optometrists in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for a consultation.

Early detection of ocular diseases through regular eye exams allow your Vision West optometrist and other eye care professionals the ability to give you prompt treatment, which decreases the probability of vision loss. Remember, there are little to no symptoms in the early stages of these eye conditions. Routine eye exams and knowledgeable optometrists are your best defence.