Signs and Symptoms of Eye Disorders

Eye disorders include structural problems, refractive errors, infections and other medical conditions that affect the eye. Although anyone can develop an eye disorder, those with a family history of eye disorders and visual problems, those with diabetes or hypertension, and smokers are more likely to develop eye disorders.

Blurriness

• People with eye disorders such as myopia may experience blurriness when focusing on objects that are at a distance. People with diabetic retinopathy may also experience blurry vision as well as double vision. People who notice blurriness or clouding in just one eye may have a cataract, which is a common eye disorder in people over the age of 80.

Eye Pain

• Eye disorders such as diabetic retinopathy may cause persistent eye pain. People who have a tumor in the eye may experience eye pain, especially when moving or closing the eyes. People with inflammation, such as uveitis, or infections of the eye may also experience eye pain.

Floaters

• People with diabetic retinopathy may notice floaters or specks in their line of vision. The floaters might look like dark spots, or they may have a glow or halo around them. People whose retina detaches from the eye may notice more floaters than usual, which may be accompanied by a sensation of flashing lights in the eye.

Headaches

• People who are nearsighted may experience headaches when looking at objects that are too far away to be clearly seen without corrective lenses. Farsighted people might develop headaches after spending a long time doing handiwork or while reading or writing. People with eye tumors or infections may also experience headaches.

Decreased Vision

• People with glaucoma might notice that their peripheral and side vision becomes poor over time; this phenomenon is often described as tunnel vision. People whose eye prescription changes frequently over a short period of time may have cataracts. Poor vision at night or trouble adjusting in dark rooms may also be a sign of cataracts.

Squinting

• People who are nearsighted may squint when looking at something farther away than their eyes are able to focus on, such as a street sign or chalkboard. People who are farsighted may also squint when looking at close objects like a newspaper or computer screen. Astigmatism may also cause people to squint, and this condition is often accompanied by nearsightedness or farsightedness.