EYE conditions

Dry eye syndrome means that your eyes do not produce enough tears. It could also mean your eyes produce tears with the wrong chemical makeup. People with dry eye might feel like they have something in their eye at all times. Dry eye can cause red eyes, burning, tearing and even blurred vision. Our doctors at Bay Optometry can develop a treatment to reduce the irritation caused by dry eye.

A detached retina is when your retina pulls away from the back of your eye. This can be caused by a number of things from injuries and aging to tumors and disease. Your vision blurs and distorts when a retina detaches. Treatment is necessary and should be done as soon as possible to avoid permanent vision loss. Dark shadows, floaters, light flashes, blind spots and blurred vision are possible signs of a detached retina.

Cataracts develop as you age, making the eye cloudy, blocking out light and causing various other vision issues. It may feel like there is a film over your vision but blinking does not clear it. Treatment is usually surgery and can improve vision almost immediately. Our doctors can assess your eyes for cataract development and make recommendations to lower your risk of developing them.

AMD stands for Age Related Macular Degeneration. It is an eye condition that affects people over the age of 55. It is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss. Symptoms vary from person to person. People might lose sight in one eye while others lose sight in both. The centre of the visual field is where you are most likely to lose your vision. Early diagnosis may slow the disease’s progression.

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, the connection between the eyes and the brain, and can lead to blindness.  Often associated with increased pressure in the eye, glaucoma frequently occurs in elderly patients, but it can appear much sooner with juvenile glaucoma being possible. One of our doctors can help diagnose this condition early contributing to better prognostic outcomes.

Conjunctivitis or pink eye is an infection of the membrane on the eye. It can cause redness, itching, watering and yellow discharge. Pink eye is caused by germs from various sources including viruses, bacteria, chemical, and allergies. Depending on the source of the germs, the condition can be contagious (viruses and bacteria) or not (chemical or allergies). One of our doctors can help determine the causes of your conjunctivitis and determine an appropriate treatment plan.

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error where the front surface of the eye (cornea) or the lens inside the eye is slightly irregular or cylindrical in shape. This prevents light from focusing properly on the retina, resulting in vision being blurred or distorted at all distances.

Small amounts of astigmatism do affect vision but may not require treatment. Larger amounts can cause distorted vision, eye discomfort, glare and headaches which can be alleviated with the use of glasses or contact lenses.

Hyperopia (far-sighted) is a type of refractive error where the cornea has too little curvature or the eyeball is too short causing images to focus behind the retina. This causes the eye to have to work too hard to clear an image, especially for near. The extra focus can cause headaches, eyestrain, fatigue and blur. This strain can be alleviated with the use of glasses or contacts.

Myopia (near-sighted) is a type of refractive error where the cornea has too much curvature or the eyeball is too long causing images to focus in front of the retina. This causes distant objects to become blurred.  Myopia is a very common visual condition affecting 30% of Canadians. Depending on the level of the prescription, glasses or contacts may be recommended on a part time or full time basis to improve the quality of the distance vision.

Presbyopia is a normal change that happens with age where the crystalline lens can no longer change shape to change the focus of your eye. This leads to an inability to focus on near targets like reading. Typically starting in a person's 40's, presbyopia will progress over the course of several years. Reading glasses, computer glasses or progressive glasses are options to help provide visual comfort and clarity. Your optometrist will be able to make the best recommendation to help suit your lifestyle.

Amblyopia is a visual condition where one eye has poorer vision due to uncorrected refractive error early in development. It can be caused by either a large prescription difference between the two eyes or from an eye turn (strabismus). In general, the time frame for visual development occurs between birth and age seven. If it is found and corrected early, amblyopia can often resolve. The correction may include glasses and/or patching.

Strabismus is a visual condition where the two eyes are not aligned properly due to a muscle issue (crossed-eyes). It is very important that strabismus is corrected early to reduce the chance of developing amblyopia. The treatment may include glasses, muscle exercises and/or surgery to align the eyes.