Eye Conditions A-B

Achromatopsia in Children

What Is Achromatopsia? Congenital achromatopsia is a hereditary eye condition that adversely affects the development of, to a varying degree, retinal “cones”; cones are photoreceptor cells that convert light into electrical images that are carried to the brain and interpreted as visual images. Cones work in bright light and are responsible for color perception, sharp […]

Loss of vision in the patient from ophthalmologic abnormalities in the eye exam It could be cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration.

Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (AZOOR)

What Causes AZOOR? The cause of AZOOR is unknown, although it is thought to be related to an auto-immune process whereby the individual’s immune system damages the outer or peripheral retinal cells. Further studies are needed, however, to clarify the mechanisms of this disease. What Are the Symptoms of AZOOR? Patients may notice a sudden […]

Photo of forest with large gray dot in the center.

Age-Related Wet & Dry Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Are you experiencing blurring or a blind spot in the center of your vision? Are you seeing blurry areas on a printed page? Do some straight lines appear wavy? Are there dark spaces or areas in the center of your vision? It might be age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a gradual, progressive, painless deterioration of […]

Albinism and Low Vision

What Is Albinism? Albinism represents a group of conditions characterized by a defect in the production of the pigment melanin, normally found in skin, eyes, and hair. Any one of many genes responsible for melanin production can lead to albinism. There are two major types of albinism: Oculocutaneous Albinism Ocular Albinism How Does Albinism Affect […]

A little boy with an occluder undergoes a hardware vision treatment.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is a reduction in best-corrected visual acuity that cannot be accounted for by any structural abnormality, either in the eye or in the visual pathways (i.e., a pathway or tract of optic nerves and fibers that transmits a visual image from the eye to the brain). A commonly used term for this condition is […]

Aniridia

By Mrinali Patel Gupta, M.D. Aniridia and the Iris The term aniridia is Greek for “without iris.” It is a congenital, bilateral (both eyes) condition characterized by the complete or partial absence of the iris. The iris is the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil. The iris contains muscles that allow the pupil […]

Anopthalmia

A rare condition in which one or both eyes do not form during pregnancy. When both eyes are affected, blindness results. There is no cure for anophthalmia. Prosthetic eyes can promote proper growth of the eye sockets and development of facial bones and also serve cosmetic purposes. Find more information on Microphthalmia here. Suggested resource: Anophthalmia and […]

Aphakia

Absence of the lens of the eye. Aphakia is usually associated with the surgical removal of a cataract but may also result from a wound or other cause. Without the lens, the eye cannot adjust its focus to see at different distances. Contact lenses or eyeglasses are used to correct the vision of someone with […]

Astigmatism and Refractive Error

The power of your eye to focus and see an image is dependent on several structures within the eye: Myopia or Near-Sightedness People with myopia, or near-sightedness, can see close-up objects clearly, but distant objects are blurred. Hyperopia or Far-Sightedness In contrast, people with hyperopia, or far-sightedness, can see distant objects clearly, but close-up objects […]

Bardet-Biedl Syndrome & Laurence Moon Syndrome

This is no longer termed “Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome.” An individual can have either “Laurence-Moon syndrome” or “Bardet-Biedl Syndrome,” both rare genetic disorders with overlapping characteristics. Bardet-Biedl is a syndrome (set of related attributes) caused by a genetic mutation and characterized by the eye condition known as cone-rod dystrophy, in addition to a variety of features that may include […]

Best’s Disease

A rare, inherited condition that affects the macula, the area in the middle of the retina, can cause blurred or distorted vision or a loss of central vision. Best’s Disease, also known as Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy, may affect both eyes. The disease’s effects on sight vary and may not become severe for many years, if ever. […]