Understanding Symptoms of Vision Problems

Understanding Vision Problems -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Various Vision Problems? continued...

Amblyopia is a loss of vision from an eye that is crossed inward or outward or otherwise blocked from seeing properly as in a droopy eyelid or undiagnosed need for eyeglasses in that eye.

Glaucoma
Symptoms may depend on the type of glaucoma:

Chronic open-angle glaucoma typically shows no symptoms until significant damage has occurred.
Acute glaucoma signs include sudden onset of severe throbbing eye pain, headaches, blurred vision, rainbow halos around lights, redness in the eye, nausea, and vomiting. Acute glaucoma is a medical emergency.
Secondary glaucoma symptoms are highly variable and correspond with the underlying primary problem.
In infants, teary or cloudy eyes, unusual sensitivity to light, and enlarged corneas are signs of congenital glaucoma. One or both eyes can be affected.

Macular degeneration
Symptoms include the following:

Dim or distorted vision, especially while reading. Straight lines often appear crooked.
Gradual, painless loss of precise central vision.
Blank spots in your central field of vision.

Call Your Doctor About Vision Problems If:

You experience symptoms of retinal detachment, such as floaters or flashes of light in your vision. You need immediate treatment to preserve vision in the eye.
You have the feeling that a curtain is being lowered into part of your vision. You need to seek immediate medical attention to rule out other serious causes of this vision problem including stroke.
You become unusually sensitive to bright light. You may have an inflammation inside the eye (iritis/uveitis).
You have a foreign object in your eye that will not flush out with water; you risk scarring or infecting the eye.
Your contact lenses become uncomfortable or you have pain that won't go away even after the contact is removed. You may have an abrasion, corneal inflammation (keratitis), or a corneal ulcer.
You have any injury to the eye that affects vision; you may have internal bleeding or a fracture of the bone around your eye. This is a medical emergency.

A good rule to follow is that any redness, irritation, pain, or discharge that is out of the ordinary or any unusual changes in vision should prompt an immediate call to your eye doctor.