If you’ve never had a problem with your eyes it can be easy to forget how important it is to take care of them. See below for five of the most common eye diseases and how to recognize them.
Help keep your eyes healthy for years to come with regular eye exams, eyewear as prescribed and treatment at the first sign of a problem. Check your health plan for coverage or look at adding a vision plan that includes an eye exam.
1. Dry Eye
Dry eye is one of the most common eye problems. It occurs when your eye doesn’t produce enough tears or the right kind of tears. Your eye can become inflamed and painful. Chronic dry eye can make it uncomfortable to read or use a computer. Symptoms include:
- A feeling that something is in your eye
- Red eyes
- Burning or itchy eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
See your eye doctor if you think you have dry eye. Your doctor can recommend medication or treatments to help your eyes produce more tears.
2. Diabetic Retinopathy
Retinopathy is the most common eye problem in people with diabetes. High blood sugar damages the retina and may cause it to detach. This can lead to vision loss. You might not have symptoms in the early stages of this disease. But see your eye doctor right away if you notice:
- Spots or floating strings in your vision
- Blurry vision
- Dark or blank areas in your vision
- Vision that changes from blurry to clear
- Colors seem washed out
- Vision loss
You can help protect your eyes from retinopathy. Control your blood sugar and your blood pressure. And get an eye exam every year to help detect and treat problems early.
3. Cataracts
As we age, the lenses in our eyes can become cloudy. Cataracts may not disturb your vision at first. But as they get worse, it may become hard to read or drive a car, especially at night. Signs of cataracts include:
- Foggy vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Need for bright light to read or see fine detail
- Seeing halos around lights
- Fading colors
- Sensitivity to light and glare
Regular eye exams can help detect cataracts. But see your eye doctor right away if you notice any changes in your vision.
4. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a common eye disease in people over age 40 and a leading cause of blindness in those over age 60. Fluid builds up in the front part of your eye and damages the optic nerve. In its early stages, glaucoma may have no symptoms. So you may not know you have it. Some of the symptoms you may notice first include:
- Loss of side vision
- Seeing halos around lights
- Tunnel vision
- Eye pain or redness
Yearly eye exams can help protect your eyes from glaucoma. Your eye doctor will check your eyes for signs of glaucoma and recommend treatment.
5. Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss among older Americans. The central part of the retina, called the macula, wears away with age. It can cause blind spots in your central vision. It may become hard to read, drive, watch TV, and recognize faces. Most people do not have any signs in early stages. As the disease progresses, you may notice changes in your vision, including:
- Straight lines seem bent
- Dark, blurry areas in the center of your vision
- Difficulty recognizing faces
- Difficulty seeing fine details
Annual eye exams with an ophthalmologist can help detect and treat macular degeneration.
Protect your sight with Blue Cross Vision plans
Regular eye exams are one of the smartest ways to protect your vision. Many health plans cover regular preventive eye exams.
You can also explore adding a separate vision plan. Blue Cross offers a range of vision plans to fit your needs and your budget. All vision plans provide discounts on eyeglasses and contact lenses and some cover routine eye exams.
As a Blue Cross Vision member you’ll have easy access to vision care with a large national network that includes top retailers, ophthalmologists and optometrists.
You can enroll in a Blue Cross Vision plan at any time, even if you don’t have Blue Cross health insurance or are on Medicare. Blue Cross Vision plans are an affordable and easy way to get proper vision care for you and your family.