Kitsap Eye Physicians provide eye care for the entire Kitsap Peninsula. Our doctors have experience in managing all forms of eye disease and problems such as:
Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)
There are two types of AMD: dry (atrophic) and wet (neovascular or exudative). Most AMD starts as the dry type and in 10-20% of individuals, it progresses to the wet type. Age-related macular degeneration is always bilateral (i.e., occurs in both eyes), but does not necessarily progress at the same pace in both eyes. It is therefore possible to experience the wet type in one eye and the dry type in the other.
Blephartis
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids causing red, irritated, itchy eyelids and the formation of dandruff-like scales on eyelashes. It is a common eye disorder caused by either bacterial or a skin condition such as dandruff of the scalp or acne rosacea. It affects people of all ages. Although uncomfortable, blepharitis is not contagious and generally does not cause any permanent damage to eyesight. Symptoms can include burning, blurred vision, crusting on eyelashes, dry eyes and red and swollen eyelids.
UTMB Health Eye Center ophthalmologist Dr. Manuj Kapur discusses the causes, symptoms and treatment for blepharitis, a common eye condition. Symptoms can include burning, blurred vision, crusting on eyelashes, dry eyes and red and swollen eyelids.
Blurred Vision
Blurred vision: It is not a disease. It is when there is a lack of sharpness of vision that is indistinct or fuzzy visual images, and as a result, the inability to see fine detail.
Blurred vision can be a symptom of several eye diseases and injuries. The most common causes of blurred vision as a result of disease are cataract and retinopathy.
The usual cause of longstanding blurred vision is refractive error (see below). Blurred vision, which should not be confused with double vision (diplopia), can occur in one eye or both, for episodes of varying lengths of time, and can develop gradually or suddenly.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
Conjunctivitis also known as pink eye is a highly contagious condition in which the white portion of the eye turns pink or reddish in color. It can be caused by bacteria or a virus, in which case it is highly contagious. Other symptoms may include pain in the affected eye, itching, watery eyes. It may also be caused by a reaction to an allergen, chemical exposure or excessive strain.
Diplopia (Double Vision)
Diplopia will make you see two separate images of a single object. It can be a symptom of an serious underlying disease or condition. For that reason, if you encounter double vision at any time, you you should make an appointment with an eye expert straight away. Double vision can be horizontal, where the images appear side by side; vertical, where the images appear one above the other; or diagonal, where the images are both vertically and horizontally displaced from one another.
Binocular diplopia is the most common type of double vision. It occurs when your eyes don’t align with each other as they normally would. Those with binocular double vision will find that covering either eye gets rid of the double image.
Binocular double vision is usually caused by a squint, but if it occurs suddenly, it could be a symptom of a much more serious medical condition. Diseases of the thyroid or arteries, along with diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke and a number of other serious conditions can cause double vision.
Monocular diplopia is double vision in one eye only, and is much less common than binocular diplopia. If you have monocular double vision, only covering the affected eye will make the double image disappear.
Monocular double vision is usually caused by an abnormality within the eye itself, such as a refractive error like astigmatism, or a rare type of cataract. It can also be caused by abnormalities of the iris, lens, or fluid within the eye, and even Dry Eye.
Eye Flashes and Eye Floaters
Eye floaters are tiny spots, specks, lines or shapes that enter into your field of vision, appearing to float in front of the eye. They may seem like distant objects, but they are actually the shadows of cells and fibers inside the vitreous, or gel-like portion of the eye.
Floaters are most often isolated occurrences that are a perfectly normal part of vision. However, if they become more frequent, and are accompanied by eye flashes – bursts or streaks of light similar to the “stars” you may see after taking a blow to the head – this may be a sign of an impending retinal detachment. This is very serious and should be brought to the attention of an eye care professional.
What Causes Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes?
The vitreous gel may shrink, forming tiny clumps in the eye. These clumps cast shadows onto the retina, and the resulting forms and shapes are referred to eye floaters.
Sometimes during the process of the vitreous shrinking, it remains partially attached to the retina, and tugs on it. The resulting movement of the retina’s nerve cells can cause eye flashes.
Symptoms of Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes
Eye Floaters:
- Visible appearance of black shapes and lines
- Usually wisp-like shapes that go away almost immediately
Eye Flashes:
- Visible bursts or streaks of light
- May be one burst in one area, or several over a wide area
- Treatments for Eye Floaters and Eye Flashes
Most of the time, eye floaters are not a sign of anything harmful, and simply looking up or down can move them out of your field of vision.
However, if they are accompanied by eye flashes, it may be a sign of retinal detachment, a serious condition that can lead to severe vision loss. Please call us immediately to schedule an appointment.
Keratoconus (Corneal Abnormality)
Keratoconus is vision disorder and a progressive eye disease in which the normally round, dome-like cornea (the clear front window of the eye) becomes thin and develops a cone-like bulge. Keratoconus literally means “cone-shaped cornea.”
The cornea is a very important part of your eye. Light enters the eye through the cornea, which refracts, or focuses, the light rays so that you can see clearly.
With keratoconus, the shape of the cornea is altered, distorting your vision which can cause visual distortions. The most common symptoms are ghosting, multiple images, glare, halos, starbursts around lights and blurred vision. Keratoconus can make some activities difficult, such as driving, typing on a computer, watching television or reading.
What causes Keratoconus? Tiny fibers of protein in the eye called collagen help hold the cornea in place and keep it from bulging. When these fibers become weak, they cannot hold the shape and the cornea becomes progressively more cone shaped. It usually starts in the teenage years. It can, though, begin in childhood or in people up to about age 30. It's possible it can occur in people 40 and older, but that is less common.
Kertoconjunctivitis (Dry Eye Syndrome)
Kertoconjunctivitis is a condition where the eyes don't produce enough tears or the right quality of tears to be healthy or comfortable. It is an eye disease caused by eye dryness, which, in turn, is caused by either decreased tear production or increased tear film evaporation. It is found in humans and some animals and is the most common eye disease affecting 5 - 6% of the population. Prevalence rises in postmenopausal women, and as high as 34% in the elderly.
The phrase "keratoconjunctivitis sicca" is Latin, and its translation is "dry [inflammation] of the comea and conjunctiva".
Ocular Allergies
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology estimates that 50 million people in the United States have seasonal allergies, and its prevalence is increasing — affecting up to 30 percent of adults and up to 40 percent of children. In addition to having symptoms of sneezing, congestion and a runny nose, most of these allergy sufferers also experience itchy eyes, watery eyes, red eyes and swollen eyes. Eye allergy symptoms can be very annoying. Yet they pose little threat to eyesight other than temporary blurriness. Unlike conditions such as pink eye, allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.
We can make a difference. Please call Kitsap Eye Physicians to make an appointment to discuss your options further, or request an appointment online.
Refractive Error
Refractive error is the name for vision problems that happen when the shape of the eye keeps you from focusing well. The cause could be the length of the eyeball (longer or shorter), changes in the shape of the cornea, or aging of the lens.
All four vision problems need reading glasses for correction:
- Astigmatism - Unequal curvature of the front of the eye, focus problems caused by the abnormal curved cornea and often occurs together with nearsightedness or farsightedness.
- Hyperopia (Far Sightedness) - Clear vision in the distance but blurry close up. Farsightedness is the result of the visual image being focused behind the retina rather than directly on it. It may be caused by the eyeball being too small or the focusing power being too weak.
- Myopia (Near Sightedness) - A condition where objects up close appear clearly, while objects far away appear blurry. With myopia, light comes to focus in front of the retina instead of on the retina.
- Presbyopia - The lens needs to change its length or shape to focus on objects that are close. The ability of the lens to change shape is called the elasticity of the lens. This elasticity decreases slowly as people age. The result is a slow loss of ability to focus on near objects, or close up as a result of aging.
Systemic Conditions
A Systemic Disease is one that affects a number of organs, and tissues, or affects the body as a whole. Getting a regular eye exam may play a role in identifying the signs of some systemic diseases. The eye is composed of many different types of tissue. This unique feature makes the eye susceptible to a wide variety of diseases as well as provides insights into many body systems. Almost any part of the eye can give important clues to the diagnosis of systemic diseases. Signs of a systemic disease may be evident on the outer surface of the eye (eyelids, conjunctiva and cornea), middle of the eye, and back of the eye (retina).
Your eyes, being the tiny spheres of wonder that they are, are windows to your health. A doctor can find warning signs of high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems, Systemic Lupus (connective tissues), Sickle Cell (blood diseases), and inflammatory conditions and a whole range of other systemic health issues, just by examining your eyes. Ophthalmologist Neal Adams explains why the eye's tissues and blood vessels make such a good barometer for wellness.