Health Article description.Target intraocular pressure is the level of pressure inside the eyes that a doctor sets for a person who has glaucoma or high eye pressure. The target pressure is based on the degree of optic nerve damage, the amount of visual field loss, and, to a lesser degree, the initial pressure in the eye and how widely it varies...

Health Article description.The day after surgery to remove a cataract, you will most likely be allowed to return to your normal activities. But you need to take certain precautions. Use eyedrops as prescribed by your doctor. Wash your hands before putting drops in your eye.

Health Article description.A chemical burn can be caused by alkaline or acid products, metals, and hydrocarbons, such as gas. If you wear contacts, remove them before flushing your eye. If you can't remove a contact, flush the eye with the contact in place. Many workplaces have eye wash stations for burns to the eye. Know where they are and how...

Health Article description.What is retinal detachment? Retinal detachment is an eye problem that happens when the retina, a thin membrane of nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye, comes off (detaches). The nerve cells in the retina normally detect light entering the eye and send signals to the brain about what the eye sees. But when the...

Health Article description.Pneumatic retinopexy is a surgery to repair certain types of retinal detachments. It is usually an outpatient procedure, which means you don't need to stay in the hospital. Before surgery, your eye is numbed with local anesthesia. Then the eye doctor ( ophthalmologist) injects a gas bubble into the middle of the eye...

Health Article description.What is strabismus? Strabismus (say "struh-BIZ-mus") is a vision problem in which both eyes do not look at the same point at the same time. Strabismus most often begins in early childhood. It is sometimes called crossed-eyes, walleye, or squint. Normally, the muscles attached to each eye work together to move both eyes...

Health Article description.The slit lamp exam uses a tool that provides a magnified, three-dimensional (3-D) view of the parts of the eye. During the exam, your doctor can look at the front parts of the eye. These parts include the clear, outer covering (cornea), the lens, and the colored part (iris). The doctor can also see the front part of the...

Health Article description.Info on healthcare professionals with training in specific areas. Links to info on physicians and other specialty doctors. Also includes links to info on other health professionals like physician assistants. Offers tips on preparing for appointments.

Health Article description.If the eyelid has a cut that is more than a scratch (laceration), the eyeball may be damaged. Something may be puncturing the eyeball. A cut to the eye or eyelid can lead to blindness or other problems with the eye and must be looked at by a doctor. If you are wearing contact lenses at the time of an injury, the eye...

Health Article description.Optometrists are health professionals who diagnose and treat many vision problems and diseases of the eye. An optometrist is not a medical doctor, but rather a doctor of optometry (OD). Optometrists can perform routine vision testing, prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, detect vision problems and eye disease...

Health Article description.A tonometry test measures the pressure inside your eye, which is called intraocular pressure (IOP). This test is used to check for glaucoma, an eye disease that can cause blindness by damaging the nerve in the back of the eye ( optic nerve). Damage to the optic nerve may be caused by a buildup of fluid that does not...

Health Article description.Retinal imaging uses special cameras and scanners to make magnified images, or pictures, of the back of your eye. This includes the retina. It's the part of the eye that's most responsible for your vision. Common imaging methods include: Color and black-and-white photography. A camera magnifies the back of your eye and...

Health Article description.Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition caused by diabetes. Diabetes can damage small blood vessels in part of your eye. This can lead to poor vision and blindness. Diabetes damages small blood vessels throughout the body. Diabetic retinopathy...

Health Article description.What is optic neuritis? Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, which lies at the back of the eye. This nerve carries visual information from the eye to the brain. If it's inflamed, you may have blurred or double vision or even loss of vision. What causes it? Your doctor may not know what caused this problem...

Health Article description.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...

Health Article description.Briefly discusses causes of eye injuries, including sports, work activities, recreational activities, and foreign objects. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

Health Article description.Briefly discusses foreign objects in eye and protective eyewear. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

Health Article description.Learn how to clean a minor cut near the eye.

Health Article description.Learn how to remove an object from an eye.

Health Article description.Cataracts are a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye. They block the passage of light to the retina. Nerve cells in the retina detect light entering the eye and send nerve signals to the brain about what the eye sees. Because cataracts...

Health Article description.Several types of hard and soft contact lenses are available. Consult an eye doctor who is willing to work with you to select the best type of lens for your needs and lifestyle. Hard contact lenses Hard contact lenses correct refractive errors, including astigmatism, with no distortion. Most hard contact lenses are made...