Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is when the conjunctiva is irritated and inflamed due to allergies or an infection. The affected eye(s) become red and swollen and sometimes may have a sticky discharge.
There are 3 types of Conjunctivitis: Viral Conjunctivitis, Bacterial Conjunctivitis, and Allergic Conjunctivitis.
Viral Conjunctivitis will be fought off by the body on its own. A warm washcloth on the eyes can help to make them feel more comfortable. Bacterial Conjunctivitis can be treated with antibiotic eye drops. Allergic conjunctivitis may be treated with certain eyedrops to help with the itchiness and puffiness.
Flashes can appear as lightening streaks or flashes of light that you see in your field of vision. Flashes occur when the vitreous pulls or rubs on the retina.
Floaters look like small dots, specs, lines, circles, or cobwebs in your field of vision. They are tiny clumps of vitreous gel and what you see is the shadow these clumps cast on the retina.
Generally, flashes and floaters are not a problem. However, if you notice flashes and floaters together, notice a lot of new flashes and floaters, notice a shadow appear in your peripheral vision, or notice a gray curtain covering part of your vision, you should see an ophthalmologist immediately as this could be a sign of a Retinal Detachment, which you can learn more about below.
A Hyphema is when there is blood that collects inside the front of the eye between the cornea and the iris. A Hyphema can cause partially or completely blocked vision. A Hyphema usually occurs when there is an injury, tearing the iris or the pupil of the eye. They are usually painful and need to be treated as to avoid causing any permanent vision loss.
A Hyphema will generally go away on its own, but a ophthalmologist may ask you to wear a shield over the eye to protect it, restrain from physical activity, raise the head of your bed to help your eye drain, or possibly prescribe eye drops to help decrease the swelling in the eye.
The Retina is located at the back of the eye. A Retinal Tear or a Retinal Detachment occurs when the vitreous gel that is attached to the retina pulls away from the retina too hard causing a tear in the retina or causing the retina to detach completely. Symptoms can be an increase in the number of floaters in the eye, a sudden appearance of flashes, seeing a shadow in your peripheral vision, seeing a gray curtain that looks as if it is moving across your field of vision, or a sudden decrease in vision. If you notice any of these symptoms, call your ophthalmologist immediately.
There are different types of surgeries to repair a Retinal Tear or a Retinal Detachment that an ophthalmologist will discuss depending on the severity of the tear or detachment.
Strabismus, or being “cross-eyed” is when the eyes do not align correctly and point in different directions. Strabismus is common in children.
Strabismus can often times be treated with glasses to improve the alignment of the eyes. In some cases, Strabismus is treated with surgery to correct the muscles in the turning eye.
A Subconjunctival Hemorrhage is when a blood vessel in the eye bursts, causing the white of the eye to be red.
A Subconjunctival Hemorrhage is usually harmless and often heals itself on its own.
If you are experiencing any of these conditions, please give our office a call at (864) 583-5312 to set up an appointment.
I was very fortunate to have Dr. Haggerty as my doctor. He found a problem with my eyes that a previous doctor had missed, that could have led to blindness. He fixed the problem painlessly and now my eyes are great. He also did an eyelift for me and I can see so much better than before. For me they are the best!!
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