What is Graves' ophthalmopathy? Graves' ophthalmopathy, also called thyroid eye disease, is an autoimmune disease that can occur in people with Graves' disease. In Graves' ophthalmopathy, the tissues and muscles behind the eyes become swollen. The eyeballs may stick out farther than normal. This can occur before, after...

During trabeculectomy—sometimes also called filtration surgery—a piece of tissue in the drainage angle of the eye is removed, creating an opening. The opening is partially covered with a flap of tissue from the sclera, the white part of the eye, and the conjunctiva, the clear thin covering over the sclera. This new...

Laser iridotomy uses a very focused beam of light to create a hole on the outer edge, or rim, of the iris, the colored part of the eye. This opening allows fluid ( aqueous humor) to flow between the anterior chamber, the front part of the eye, and the area behind the iris, the posterior chamber. This opening may...

Discusses vision problems caused by cataracts, a painless, cloudy area in lens of eye. Covers symptoms like fuzzy vision, glare from lamps or sun, and frequent changes to eyeglass prescription. Discusses treatment with surgery. Also discusses vision aids.

Discusses eye disease that damages the optic nerve. Covers open-angle, closed-angle, and congenital glaucoma. Covers importance of finding and treating it early to help prevent blindness. Looks at treatment with medicine and maybe with lasers or surgery.

What is age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that causes blurring of your central vision. The blurring happens because of damage to the macula, a small area at the back of the eye. The macula helps you see the fine detail in things that your eyes are focusing on...

Keeping contacts clean and safe The following tips can help you keep your contacts clean and safe. This will help keep your eyes healthy and your vision as clear as possible. Carefully follow the cleaning instructions for your lenses. Keep your lenses and all supplies very clean. Always wash and rinse your hands...

Briefly discusses causes of burns, including chemicals, UV light, hot steam, and flash fires. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

Vision tests check many different functions of the eye. Some of the tests measure your ability to see details at near and far distances, check for gaps or defects in your field of vision, and evaluate your ability to see different colors. Others may check how sensitive you are to glare (brightness acuity), how well your...

If you are younger than 40 and have no known risk factors for glaucoma, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends that you have a complete eye exam every 5 to 10 years. This includes tests that check for glaucoma. If you are at risk for glaucoma, the AAO suggests that you have complete eye exams according...

Discusses laser treatment for glaucoma. Also discusses how well treatment lowers the pressure in the eye. Covers why it is done and what to expect after surgery. Includes risks of this surgery and what to think about.

The main treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is injections of medicines into the eye. But in some cases, doctors recommend laser surgery. Retinal laser photocoagulation is a type of laser surgery that uses an intense beam of light to burn small areas of the retina. The burns form scar tissue...

Briefly discusses causes of pinkeye (conjunctivitis). Covers symptoms like red eyes and itching or burning feeling. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

What is syphilis? Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a type of bacteria. If it's not treated by a doctor, it can get worse over time and cause serious health problems. The infection can be active at times and not active at other times. When the infection is active, you have symptoms. When it's...

It's important for your child to have regularly scheduled checkups, often called well-child visits, beginning shortly after birth and lasting through the teen years. These appointments allow your doctor to keep a close eye on your child's general...

Laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is the preferred procedure for correcting farsightedness (hyperopia). It changes the shape of the eye. In LASIK, a thin flap is made on the cornea using a blade or laser. The flap is lifted, and a laser is applied to the central corneal tissue. The laser makes contact with the cornea...

Rhinitis is an inflammation of the nasal passages that is most often caused by allergies or respiratory infections. You may have a runny or stuffy nose. You may also have itchy eyes, ears, and throat. If allergies are the cause, your doctor may do tests to find out what you are allergic to. You may be able to relieve...

Colposcopy is a test to look at the vagina and cervix through a lighted magnifying tool (colposcope). The colposcope magnifies the view 2 to 60 times so the doctor can see any problems that would be missed by the naked eye. A camera can be hooked to the colposcope to take pictures or videos of the vagina and cervix for...

If you have diabetes and are planning to become pregnant, meet with your doctor. Things to discuss include: Your A1c goal, your medicine for diabetes, and your weight. Whether your immunizations are up-to-date and whether you're getting enough...

Keeping your blood sugar in a target range reduces your risk of problems from diabetes. These problems may include eye disease (retinopathy), kidney disease (nephropathy), and nerve disease (neuropathy). If you're pregnant, staying in a target...

Here are some examples of when IOLs may be used. To replace a lens after cataract surgery Surgery for cataracts involves removing the natural lens of the eye that contains the cataract. The lens may be replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens implant (IOL). Or you may wear eyeglasses or contact lenses...

Chlamydia tests use a sample of body fluid or urine to see whether chlamydia bacteria ( Chlamydia trachomatis) are present and causing an infection. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) are used to find chlamydia infection. These tests use a sample of body fluid from areas such as the cervix, vagina, eyes, rectum, or...

What is Sjögren's syndrome? Sjögren's syndrome (say "SHOH-grins") is a disease in which the immune system attacks the glands that make moisture for the body, such as tears and saliva. The damage keeps the glands from working the way they should and makes your eyes and mouth dry. The disease may also cause other...

Discusses pinkeye (conjunctivitis). Covers what causes it and symptoms. Offers home treatment tips. Also offers tips to prevent spreading it. Includes pictures of normal eye and one with pinkeye.

A herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection can cause small, painful sores that look like blisters on the skin or the tissue lining ( mucous membranes) of the throat, nose, mouth, urethra, rectum, and vagina. In rare cases, HSV can infect other parts of the body, such as the eyes and the brain. HSV tests are most often done...