Author Archives: tsusnick

What Is Optic Nerve Atrophy? Optic nerve atrophy (ONA) is degeneration of, or damage to, the optic nerve, a cluster of nerves that carry vision information from the eye to the brain. Causes of ONA include heredity, trauma (including stroke), a tumor, a decrease in oxygen or blood supply, infections, or disorders. The effects of […]

What Is Nystagmus? Nystagmus is a condition involving involuntary, rapid, and repetitive movements of one or both eyes vertically, horizontally, or in a circular motion. This may be present at birth or, less commonly, may result from disease or injury. Nystagmus is most often a symptom of an eye disorder or neurological issue. How Is […]

What Is Marfan Syndrome? Marfan syndrome is a genetic, usually inherited disorder of the body’s connective tissue. It is present at birth, yet the features are not necessarily immediately present. Marfan syndrome can affect the heart and blood vessels, skeletal system, eyes, and other parts of the body. People with Marfan syndrome are often nearsighted, […]

What Is Cone-Rod Dystrophy? Cone-rod dystrophy is a group of more than 30 inherited diseases that, over time, cause deterioration of the specialized light-sensitive cells of the retina—the rods that densely cover the peripheral, or outlying, portion of the retina and are responsible for peripheral vision and vision in low light, and the cones which […]

What Is Microphthalmia? Microphthalmia is a condition in which one or both eyes are unusually small. An individual with microphthalmia may have accompanying birth defects, as microphthalmia is a genetic mutation. Genetics Home Reference states that one-third to one-half of people with microphthalmia have it as a component of a syndrome (range of related birth defects). How […]