Numerous eye disorders exist … check out the column to the left and click for more information about each. However, three of the most well-known eye disorders are glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Glaucoma: Glaucoma is an eye disease in which fluid pressure inside the eye builds up as a result of too much fluid being produced or not enough fluid being drained. This increase in pressure can damage the optic nerve and cause vision to fade. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, progressing slowly and painlessly (acute types of glaucoma strike suddenly, affecting vision more quickly and sometimes involving severe pain). A leading cause of blindness in the U.S., this affects approximately 2.2 million Americans age 40 and older, including an estimated 1.5 to 2 million who do not even know they have it.

Anyone can get glaucoma, though it rarely strikes people under 35. People at highest risk include: African Americans and Hispanics over age 40; anyone over age 60, and those with a family history.

Cataracts: A cataract is a cloudy area on the eye's lens. It is not known specifically why cataracts form, but the most common type is aging - more than half of all Americans age 65 and older have cataracts. Other types include: congenital (some children are born with them or develop them early in life); secondary (develops in people with diabetes or other health problems, and is sometimes linked to steroid use or radiation therapy), and traumatic (after an eye injury, soon afterward or years later).

Symptoms include: cloudy or blurry vision, sensitivity to light and glare, poor night vision, colors that appear faded, frequent changes in your vision prescription, double vision and/or sudden, but temporary, improvement in near vision.

Macular Degeneration: Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) affects the eyesight of 13 million Americans. It strikes painlessly, disrupting the central vision needed to read or write, to drive and to watch TV. ARMD most often affects persons in their late 50s and 60s. There are two types of ARMD - the "dry" type and the "wet" type. The "dry" (or atrophic) form accounts for 9 out of 10 ARMD cases. Dry ARMD is characterized by a thinning or deterioration of tissue underneath the macula and a slow break down of the cone cells.

The "wet" (exudative) form causes 90 percent of the cases of severe visual loss. In "wet" ARMD, abnormal blood vessels develop rapidly under the retina and leak blood or fluid that damage the macula. The wet form results in the growth of dense scar tissue.

Because of environmental issues, Dry Eyes is becoming one of the most prevalent eye disorders. Symptoms of dry eyes include: foreign body sensations, itching, redness, burning, pain and/or photosensitivity. Also, poor vision from uneven tear film, excessive tearing and/or discomfort may be involved.

Causes of dry eyes include: genetic (inherited); pathologic (disease), injury, environment, medications and even vitamin deficiencies. Environmental factors include air conditioning, certain types of lighting or other artificial environments.

The good news is dry eyes are usually treatable with fluids called artificial tears, which can be purchased over the counter. Another solution is punctal plugs, which are small, non-dissolvable plugs that inserted in the eyes that provide long-term relief. These plugs cannot be seen, usually are not felt and can be removed by your doctor.

See the Treatments home page in this section for more details about these disorders.