Of the five senses, sight is probably the most important way we receive information about the world around us. Like any other organ in your body, your eyes need proper care and attention in order for them to remain healthy and function well.
Vision
Visible light reaching the eye contains information that is processed by the brain into sight. This gives you a visual representation of your environment, helping you act and react to what is going on around you. The eye’s lens focuses an image onto the retina at the back of the eye, from where light patterns are converted into brain signals. These signals are then sent to the various parts of the brain that deals with sight, where they are interpreted and processed.
What can go wrong with the eyes?
Itching, fatigue and blurriness are common eye problems that most of us will experience at one time or another. These conditions aren’t permanent, however, and shouldn’t be a cause of too much concern if they go away quite quickly. But problems that persist need to be checked by an eye specialist to avoid any serious permanent damage. These problems are commonly conjunctivitis (also known as pinkeye), corneal ulcer and sty.
Conjunctivitis occurs when the membrane that lines the eyelid and covers most of the eye becomes inflamed. This will lead to blood-shot eyes, tearing and swollen eyes. It can be caused by any number of things, from allergies and bacterial infection, to makeup and contact solution.
The cornea, the membrane that covers the front of the eye, can get injured and become ulcerous. This means that the eye is inflamed and sensitive to light. When an oil gland at the edge of the eyelid becomes infected, this leads to sty. A sty looks like a small pimple and can be very sensitive to the touch. All these conditions are easily treatable by prescription medication.
Taking care of your eyes
Many eye diseases are “silent” or asymptomatic, meaning that it’s not possible to tell that something is wrong until it is too late. That is why everyone should routinely get his or her eyes checked by an ophthalmologist, even if there are no vision problems. These examinations can detect blinding eye diseases or even tumors in the brain. People who wear glasses or contact lenses typically visit their eye specialist once a year – a habit that should be adopted by all, regardless of the state of their vision.
Eye strain and fatigue can be avoided by limiting the time spent looking at a computer screen, but for many of us hours spent staring at a screen is unavoidable. In these cases, keep eye drops handy to help lessen the strain on the eyes but, again, should problems persist, do not hesitate to consult an eye-care professional.
Like many things, we tend to take our ability to see for granted. Make sure your hands are clean when touching your eyes, avoid harsh sunlight and try and limit exposure to computer and TV screens in order to maintain a function that you will sorely miss should you lose it to neglected eye care.
Sources
Eye and Vision problems. Healthwise for Life, Boise: Idaho. p 213 – 225.
Eye Exams: More Important Than You Might Think. Retrieved from http://webmd.com.
(Revised by M van Deventer)