This page is designed to give our clients some background in the human eye and the common ailments of this very delicate and very important organ. Below you will find a list of common negative eye conditions with links to definitions, as well as selected links to outside informational sources. Underneath the list is a diagram of the human eye with the labels linked to descriptions of the various parts.

Click on the labels below to view their definitions.

Definitions:

• The anterior chamber is the area bounded in front by the cornea and in back by the lens, and filled with aqueous. 
  
• The aqueous is a clear, watery solution in the anterior and posterior chambers. 
  
• The artery is the vessel supplying blood to the eye. 
  
• The canal of Schlemm is the passageway for the aqueous fluid to leave the eye. 
  
• The choroid, which carries blood vessels, is the inner coat between the sclera and the retina. 
  
• The ciliary body is an unseen part of the iris, and these together with the ora serrata form the uveal tract. 
  
• The conjunctiva is a clear membrane covering the white of the eye (sclera). 
  
• The cornea is a clear, transparent portion of the outer coat of the eyeball through which light passes to the lens. 
  
• The iris gives our eyes color and it functions like the aperture on a camera, enlarging in dim light and contracting in bright light. The aperture itself is known as the pupil. 
  
• The lens helps to focus light on the retina. 
  
• The macula is a small area in the retina that provides our most central, acute vision. 
  
• The optic nerve conducts visual impulses to the brain from the retina. 
  
• The ora serrata and the ciliary body form the uveal tract, an unseen part of the iris. 
  
• The posterior chamber is the area behind the iris, but in front of the lens, that is filled with aqueous. 
  
• The pupil is the opening, or aperture, of the iris. 
  
• The rectus medialis is one of the six muscles of the eye. 
  
• The retina is the innermost coat of the back of the eye, formed of light-sensitive nerve endings that carry the visual impulse to the optic nerve. The retina may be compared to the film of a camera. 
  
• The sclera is the white of the eye. 
  
• The vein is the vessel that carries blood away from the eye. 
  
• The vitreous is a transparent, colorless mass of soft, gelatinous material filling the eyeball behind the lens. 

Astigmatism: Astigmatism means that the cornea is oval like a football instead of spherical like a basketball. Most astigmatic corneas have two curves – a steeper curve and a flatter curve. This causes light to focus on more than one point in the eye, resulting in blurred vision at distance or near. Astigmatism often occurs along with nearsightedness or farsightedness.

If you have only a small amount of astigmatism, you may not notice it or have just slightly blurred vision. But sometimes uncorrected astigmatism can give you headaches or eyestrain, and distort or blur your vision at all distances.

Unless it is extreme, astigmatism can be compensated for satisfactorily with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Many people with astigmatism believe that they can't wear contact lenses. This was true many years ago, but now there are soft contacts that correct astigmatism; they are called toric contact lenses. Toric lenses have a special correction built into them and may also contain a prescription for nearsightedness or farsightedness if you need it.

Depending on the type and severity of your astigmatism, you may also be able to have it corrected with refractive surgery. Discuss with our doctors which procedure is best to correct your astigmatism.

Cataract:  A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the normally clear lens within your eye, which results in blurred or distorted vision. Cataracts are most often found in persons over age 55, but they are also occasionally found in younger people.

No one knows exactly what causes cataracts, but it is known that a chemical change occurs within your eye to cause the lens to become cloudy. This may be due to advancing age, heredity or an injury or disease. Excessive exposures to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight, cigarette smoking or the use of certain medications are also risk factors for the development of cataracts.

Although cataracts develop without pain or discomfort, there are some indications that a cataract may be forming. These include blurred or hazy vision, the appearance of spots in front of the eyes, increased sensitivity to glare or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. A temporary improvement in near vision may also indicate formation of a cataract.

Currently, there is no proven method to prevent cataracts from forming. During a comprehensive eye examination, your optometrist can diagnose a cataract and monitor its development and prescribe changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses to maintain good vision.

If your cataract develops to the point that it affects your daily activities, our optometrists can refer you to Dr. Lebowitz, our consulting ophthalmologist, who may recommend surgery. During the surgery, the eye's natural lens is removed and usually replaced with a plastic artificial lens. After surgery, you can return to our doctors for continuing care. 

Conjunctivitis: Commonly known as "pink eye," conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the membrane (conjunctiva) that covers the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelid.  There are four main causes of conjunctivitis.

One cause involves the introduction of either bacterial or viral microorganisms into the eye.  These may be transmitted to the eye by contaminated hands, washcloths or towels, cosmetics (particularly eye makeup), false eyelashes or extended wear contacts.

Minor conjunctivitis can accompany a viral cold or flu.  Although bacterial and some of the viral infections (particularly herpes) are not very common, they are potentially serious. Both types of infection are contagious.

Irritants are another cause of conjunctivitis.  Offenders of this type include air pollutants, smoke, soap, hairspray, makeup, chlorine, cleaning fluids, etc.

Seasonal allergic response to grass and other pollens can cause some individuals to acquire conjunctivitis.

Pink eye may be more serious if you: have a condition that decreases your ability to fight infection (impaired immune system), have vision in only one eye or you wear contact lenses.

Common symptoms of conjunctivitis are red watery eyes, inflamed inner eyelids, and blurred vision, a scratchy feeling in the eyes and, sometimes, a puss-like or watery discharge. Conjunctivitis can sometimes develop into something that can harm vision so you should see our optometrists promptly for diagnosis and treatment.

A good way to treat allergic or chemical conjunctivitis is to avoid the cause. If that does not work, prescription or over-the-counter eye drops may relieve discomfort. Infectious conjunctivitis, caused by bacteria, can be treated with antibiotic eye drops. Other forms, caused by viruses, cannot be treated with antibiotics. They must be fought off by your body's immune system.

To control the spread of infectious conjunctivitis, you should keep your hands away from your eyes, thoroughly wash your hands before applying eye medications and do not share towels, washcloths, cosmetics or eye drops with others. 

Contact Lenses: A thin plastic lens (plastic can be hard or soft) that is fitted over the cornea of the eye to correct various vision defects.

Our doctors and staff take pleasure in providing contact lens services to our patients. We are often successful in fitting contact lenses for patients who have previously been unsuccessful. Our goal is to help our contact lens patients find comfort, convenience, the newest technology in lens material and affordability in their services and purchases.

Our doctors will decide along with you what your options are and what lens will be best for your visual and eye health needs. Our goal is to find the right type of lens for your eyes that will give you the clearest vision and best comfort. 

We offer many types of lenses including disposables, bifocals, tinted lenses, astigmatism correction, and CRT (lenses that correct your vision while you sleep). You can choose to pick up your lenses at our office, or have them conveniently shipped to your home by ordering through us online!

Corneal Abrasion: A corneal abrasion is a scraped, scratched, or torn area of the corneal surface (named the epithelium), usually resulting from an injury such as a finger in the eye, a tree branch, flying glass, or damage from a contact lens. In some corneal abrasions, the Bowman's membrane, which is a layer just below the epithelium, may also be damaged. The cornea contains more nerve endings than virtually any other part of the body. Therefore, damage to the cornea is extremely painful. Corneal abrasion is one of the most common injuries to the eye.

The most common symptoms of a corneal abrasion are redness, pain, blurred vision, excessive tears, sensitivity to light, or a feeling that an object is in the eye. Most such abrasions occur in one eye only, and many result from wearing contact lenses improperly.

In many cases, depending on the severity, the cornea will heal completely in 24 to 48 hours, leaving no permanent damage. However, if the pain is severe or persistent, contact our office to decide if treatment is required.

Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT): Corneal Refractive Therapy is a non-surgical process clinically developed to reshape the cornea while you sleep. The result is the temporary correction of myopia with or without moderate astigmatism.

Similar in appearance to standard contact lenses, Paragon CRT therapeutic lenses gently reshape the corneal surface during sleep and provide clear, natural vision when the lenses are removed upon waking.

Because Paragon CRT offers freedom from glasses and the hassle of wearing contact lenses during the day, this leading-edge technology can enhance the lifestyle of those requiring vision correction. Active individuals can freely participate in sports without the interference of glasses or bother of contacts. Eye irritation or dryness, sometimes associated with contact lens wear due to outside dust and pollutants, is eliminated.    

Since 2002, Advanced Eye Group has successfully fit many of our contact lens patients with CRT lenses. Free consultations with Dr. D’Orio are available if you are interested in learning more about CRT and if they would work for you.

Diabetes and Related eye problems: If you have diabetes, don't buy a new pair of glasses when you notice you have blurred vision. It could just be a temporary problem that develops rapidly and is caused by high blood glucose levels.

High blood glucose causes the lens of the eye to swell, which changes your ability to see. To correct this kind of blurred vision, you need to get your blood glucose back into the target range (90-130 milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after a meal). It may take as long as three months after your blood glucose is well controlled for your vision to fully get back to normal.

Blurred vision can also be a symptom of more serious eye problems. The three major eye problems that people with diabetes may develop and should be aware of are cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy.

Dry eye: Dysfunctional Tear Syndrome, also known as “dry eye” means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears which do not have the proper chemical composition. The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Often, dry eye is part of the natural aging process. It can also be caused by blinking or eyelid problems, medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives and antidepressants, a dry climate, wind and dust, general health problems like arthritis or Sjogren's syndrome and chemical or thermal burns to your eyes.

If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include irritated, scratchy, dry, uncomfortable or red eyes, a burning sensation or feeling of something foreign in your eyes and blurred vision. Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes) and impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult.

Advanced Eye Group has become the first eye care practice in South Jersey to be designated as a Dry Eye Center of Excellence. Over 43 different diseases can result in dry eye. Although most patients will have symptoms when two or more conditions prevail, advanced technology at our office is now able to pinpoint the causes and lead to a much faster resolution. Advanced Eye Group has adopted the Touch Tear MicroAssay System which identifies causes that are specific to the eye. Since the cornea has no blood vessels, tears contain multiple proteins that feed and heal the cornea. This advanced technology provides rapid, diagnostic data for our doctors.

Floaters: Floaters are translucent specks that seem to float about in your field of vision.

Before birth, there is a large blood vessel in the vitreous (a clear, thick substance that helps in maintaining the eye’s round shape). Light passes through the vitreous (after being focused by the cornea and lens) to reach the retina, where images are formed. Any bits of tissue moving about in the vitreous cast shadows onto the retina, and you see those shadows as things “floating” in your field of vision.

Some floaters are normal, and most people have them, but they don’t usually notice them unless they become numerous or more prominent. Floaters can look like cobwebs or squiggly lines or floating bugs. They become more apparent when you look at something plain and bright, such as white paper or a blue sky, and are more evident when they are stirred up, such as when you move your eyes.

In most cases floaters are simply an annoyance and rarely limit vision. But, floaters can be indications of more serious problems, and you should see your optometrist for a comprehensive examination when you notice sudden changes or see increases in them. By looking in your eyes our doctors can examine the health of your eyes and determine if what you are seeing is harmless or the symptoms of a more serious problem that requires treatment.  

Glaucoma:    Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. In the early stages of the disease, there may be no symptoms. Experts estimate that half of the people affected by glaucoma may not know they have it.

Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain.

There is no cure for glaucoma—yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. The appropriate treatment depends upon the type of glaucoma among other factors. Early detection is vital to stopping the progression of the disease.

Using the latest technology available, the doctors at Advanced Eye Group perform Visual Fields and HRT tests on patients which can help in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

High blood pressure and related eye problems: You can have high blood pressure, or hypertension, and still feel just fine. That’s because high blood pressure does not cause symptoms that you can see or feel. But, high blood pressure, sometimes called “the silent killer,” is a major health problem. If not treated, it can lead to stroke, heart disease, eye problems, or kidney failure. The good news is that there are ways you can prevent high blood pressure. And, if you already have high blood pressure, there are ways to control it and prevent its complications.

Hyperopia: Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a common vision problem, affecting about a fourth of the population. People with hyperopia can see distant objects very well, but have difficulty seeing objects that are up close.

Farsighted people sometimes have headaches or eyestrain, and may squint or feel fatigued when performing work at close range. If you get these symptoms while wearing your glasses or contact lenses, you may need an eye examination and a new prescription. 

Keratitis: Keratitis is an inflammation or irritation of the cornea, often characterized by a cloudiness or loss of luster in this transparent membrane covering the iris and pupil. There are many types, causes and degrees of severity of keratitis. Generally, the infection occurs after the cornea has been injured or penetrated, allowing bacteria or fungi to enter and the deeper the infection, the more severe its symptoms and complications.

Keratitis affects about 50,000 Americans each year, most of them recurring cases. It is usually easy to treat – typically with antiviral or antibiotic eye drops – but prompt treatment is important; untreated cases can cause permanent eye damage and help give keratitis the dubious distinction of being the most common cause of infection-caused corneal blindness in the U.S.

Many cases of keratitis could be avoided with common sense and good hygiene. Protecting your cornea from cuts with sports and protective eyewear is the first step, since keratitis also results from a corneal injury. If you have daily-wear contact lenses, remove them nightly and follow the cleaning recommendations by the manufacturer. Also avoid sharing eye makeup.

Prompt treatment by our doctors is important to determine the specific type of keratitis – and its most effective treatment. You will be asked questions about your symptoms, your lifestyle, and your overall health. Histories of cold sores, chickenpox, shingles or arthritis are important in the evaluation. Our doctors will then examine the surface of the cornea, looking for a tiny ulcer or other abnormalities.

Low Vision Rehabilitation: Low vision is a term commonly used among eye care professionals to mean partial sight, or sight that isn't fully correctable with surgery, pharmaceuticals, contact lenses or glasses.

Low vision can range from moderate vision impairment, such as tunnel vision or blind spots, to "legal blindness," to almost total blindness.

Low vision has a variety of causes, including eye injury, diseases and heredity. Sometimes low vision involves a lack of acuity, meaning that objects do not come into focus. Other times, it involves the ability to distinguish colors, see contrasts or determine spatial relationships among objects.

Dr. D’Orio offers low vision rehabilitation in our Millville office. He can evaluate the degree and type of vision loss, prescribe appropriate low vision aids such as magnifiers, telescopes and video magnifiers, and train the patient to use them. He can also recommend non-optical adaptive devices, such as large-face printed material, audio tapes, special light fixtures and signature guides.

If you are having any difficulty seeing — hazy or blurred vision, light sensitivity, loss of peripheral vision, night blindness, a need for more light than before, color confusion, unusual floaters of spots or difficulty in reading — call us immediately for a complete exam.

Macular degeneration: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in America. It results from changes to the macula, a portion of the retina that is responsible for clear, sharp vision and is located at the back of the eye.

Most people with macular degeneration have the dry form, for which there is no known treatment. The less common wet form may respond to laser procedures, if diagnosed and treated early.

Some common symptoms are a gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly, distorted vision, a gradual loss of color vision and a dark or empty area appearing in the center of vision.

If you experience any of these, contact our office immediately for a comprehensive examination.

Central vision that is lost to macular degeneration cannot be restored. However, low vision devices such as telescopic and microscopic lenses can be prescribed to make the most out of remaining vision.

Recent research indicates certain vitamins and minerals may help prevent or slow the progression of macular degeneration. Ask our doctors about these. After age 60, an annual, comprehensive eye examination is an important to maintain eye health. 

Myopia: Nearsightedness, or myopia, is a vision problem experienced by up to about one-third of the population. Nearsighted people have difficulty reading highway signs and seeing other objects at a distance, but can see for up-close tasks such as reading or sewing.

Nearsighted people often have headaches or eyestrain, and might squint or feel fatigued when driving or playing sports. If you experience these symptoms while wearing your glasses or contact lenses, you may need a comprehensive eye examination as well as a new prescription. 

Presbyopia:   Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus on close objects.

Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-forties. Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye. It is not a disease and it cannot be prevented.

When people develop presbyopia, they find they need to hold books, magazines, newspapers, menus and other reading materials at arm's length in order to focus properly. When they perform near work, such as embroidery or handwriting, they may have headaches or eyestrain, or feel fatigued.

To help you compensate for presbyopia, our optometrists can prescribe reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals or contact lenses. Since presbyopia can complicate other common vision conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, our doctors will determine the specific lenses to allow you to see clearly and comfortably.

Vision Therapy: Vision plays a critical role in our learning, working, and recreation. Vision is more than just having 20/20 eyesight. Vision is the ability to take in information through our eyes and process the information so that it has meaning.

Many vision disorders can be treated with corrective lenses such as glasses or contacts, while other disorders may be most effectively treated with optometric vision therapy or with a combination of the two. Vision therapy, an optometric specialty treatment, has been clinically shown to be an effective treatment for accommodative disorders (non-presbyopic eye focusing problems), binocular dysfunction (inefficient eye teaming), ocular motility dysfunctions (eye movement disorders), strabismus (turned eye), amblyopia (lazy eye), and perceptual-motor dysfunction. 

Vision therapy is a treatment approach that involves weekly office visits with Dr. Bailey in our Millville office. During these visits, the patient practices carefully selected and sequenced activities. These eye exercises help strengthen the weak muscles and help restore normal strength, flexibility and function to the visual system.

When weak visual and processing skills are present, an individual's ability to quickly and accurately comprehend reading material may be reduced. Once these skills have been improved through the treatment of vision therapy, reading and learning will be easier.