Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management in Halifax

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is actually quite literally named. As you grow older, the centre part of your retina, known as the macula, can start to deteriorate. This damage can cause problems with your central vision, and can eventually progress to blindness if the symptoms aren’t properly managed.

There are two forms of AMD:

• Dry AMD occurs when drusen, a type of fatty lipid, begins to develop on the retina underneath the macula. Drusen can then thin your macula, leading to vision problems. Though drusen is connected to AMD, having drusen doesn’t mean you will definitely develop AMD, but it does increase your risk. An optometrist will be able to tell if you’re at risk.
• Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels form under the retina, where they can break and leak blood and other fluids into the macula. These fluids then harm your macula, rapidly deteriorating your vision. If you are experiencing a sudden loss of vision, please contact your eye care professional immediately.

Glaucoma is a collection of different eye diseases that can damage your optic nerve. For the most part, your optic nerve is damaged by glaucoma raising your eye’s intraocular pressure.

The most common types of glaucoma are:

• Open-angle glaucoma is the slow rising of intraocular eye pressure due to blockages formed in the drainage canal of your eye called the trabecular meshwork. These blockages prevent eye fluids from being cycled out of the eye, and the build-up can, in turn, damage the optic nerve. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, and can develop over long periods of time without showing any signs of symptoms.
• Angle-closure glaucoma is the complete blockage of the drainage canal, resulting in a rapid increase in intraocular pressure. The blockage occurs when the drainage angle between the iris and cornea closes completely, blocking all fluids from being cycled out of the eye. This form of glaucoma is considered to be a medical emergency and requires immediate attention.

Damage to the optic nerve can still occur even if you do not show signs of raised pressure inside your eye. This is called normal-tension glaucoma. Doctors aren’t quite sure how the disease damages the optic nerve, but your doctor can detect these damages before vision is permanently lost.

Cataracts is a condition that develops naturally, usually as a result of ageing. As your eyes age, the lens of your eyes can become less flexible, resulting in a gradual clouding of the lens..

Glasses and contacts can help mitigate the issue, but surgery is the only way to effectively cure it. Speak to your optometrist to see what is the best fit for you.

Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink-eye or red-eye, is an infection that causes your conjunctiva to experience symptoms of redness, teariness, discharge, and itchiness. There are 3 common forms of conjunctivitis patients might experience:

• Allergic conjunctivitis. You might have experienced this if you have any allergies. Eye drops or allergy medication can help you alleviate your symptoms.
• Viral conjunctivitis. This type of conjunctivitis is contracted through, you guessed it, a virus. Depending on your symptoms, your optometrist can recommend different treatments.
• Bacterial conjunctivitis. Bacterial conjunctivitis will require antibiotics to be treated properly. You can get these through a prescription from your optometrist.

With viral and bacterial conjunctivitis, please be aware that they are highly contagious. To avoid spreading it to other people, please seek medical assistance as soon as you can.