Health Library

The Health Library is a collection of health and wellness resources created for learning and accessibility. Select a topic below for related health information or search for a topic in the search bar for more information on other medical conditions.

Eye and Vision Conditions

  • Has info on cataracts, glaucoma, and pinkeye. Also has links to age-related macular degeneration, vision tests, and a cataract surgery decision aid.

  • The main treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is injections of medicines into the eye. But in some cases, doctors recommend laser surgery. Retinal laser photocoagulation is a type of laser surgery that uses an intense beam of light to burn small areas of the retina. The burns form scar tissue...

  • What is age-related macular degeneration? Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that causes blurring of your central vision. The blurring happens because of damage to the macula, a small area at the back of the eye. The macula helps you see the fine detail in things that your eyes are focusing on. Macular...

  • There are many studies being done to look at whether certain vitamin and mineral supplements and combinations of supplements may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or delay vision loss in people who already have it. For example, the...

  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). It is not used to treat dry AMD. Photodynamic therapy may be recommended if you can't have injections of medicines to treat your AMD or if these injections don't work. In photodynamic therapy, a light-sensitive medicine...

  • You don't see as well as you used to. Eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataracts, or diabetic retinopathy may be making it hard to work and manage many of your daily activities. But don't give up. There are lots of things you can do to adapt to low vision and make your life easier...

  • What is amblyopia? Amblyopia is a childhood problem that happens when one eye is weaker than the other. The brain chooses to take in images from the stronger eye and ignore images from the weaker eye. This means that your child uses the strong eye more than the weak eye. If the weak eye doesn't have to work, it isn't...

  • Amblyopia is a vision problem that occurs in a child when one eye is not used enough for the visual system in the brain to develop properly. This leads to poor vision in the affected eye. Treatment corrects amblyopia by training the brain to use the...

  • Over time, high blood sugar levels from diabetes lead to damage of the retina, the layer on the back of the eye that captures images and sends them as nerve signals to the brain. Whether diabetic retinopathy develops depends in part on how high blood sugar levels have been and how long they have been above a target...

  • Guides through decision to have a probing procedure done for your baby's blocked tear ducts. Discusses why a doctor may recommend a probing procedure for your baby. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

  • Tears normally drain from the eye through small tubes called tear ducts, which stretch from the eye into the nose. If a tear duct becomes blocked or fails to open, tears cannot drain from the eye properly. The duct may fill with fluid and become...

  • Learn what to expect during cataract surgery and how it can improve your vision.

  • Guides through decision to have cataract surgery. Describes the surgery and how well it works. Includes when cataract surgery is normally recommended. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

  • Cataracts may occur in people who also have glaucoma. This commonly occurs in older adults. If you have glaucoma and cataracts, you may consider having surgery for both conditions at the same time. Depending on which condition caused the vision...

  • If your vision is 20/50 (20/20 is normal) or worse because of a cataract, you may benefit from surgery. If your vision is 20/40 and you have severe glare problems or require good vision for work (for example, you drive for a living), surgery may...

  • For cataracts A cataract—a clouding of the lens of the eye—blocks the normal passage of light through the eye. Surgery for cataracts involves removing the natural lens of the eye that contains the cataract and either replacing it with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens implant (IOL) or compensating...

  • After surgery to remove a cataract: Use eyedrops as prescribed by your doctor. Wash your hands before putting drops in your eye. Be careful not to touch your eye with your hands or the tip of the medicine dropper. Protect your eye. Do not rub or...

  • A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye. The lens is enclosed in a lining called the lens capsule. Cataract surgery separates the cataract from the lens capsule. In most cases, the lens will be replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL). If an IOL cannot be used, contact lenses or eyeglasses...

  • Discusses vision problems caused by cataracts, a painless, cloudy area in lens of eye. Covers symptoms like fuzzy vision, glare from lamps or sun, and frequent changes to eyeglass prescription. Discusses treatment with surgery. Also discusses vision aids.

  • What is color blindness? Color blindness means that you have trouble seeing red, green, or blue or a mix of these colors. It's rare that a person sees no color at all. Color blindness is also called a color vision problem. A color vision problem can change your life. It may make it harder to learn and read, and you...

  • Keratitis refers to an inflammation of the cornea. Infection of the cornea is called infectious keratitis. It is the most serious complication of contact lens wear and can cause blindness. Bacterial keratitis is the most common type of infectious...

  • Hypoxia occurs when the cornea does not get enough oxygen. It is the most common complication of contact lens wear, especially extended-wear lenses. The cornea has no blood supply of its own, so it gets oxygen only from tears and directly from the...

  • Not having enough tears (dry eye) is caused by a lack of one or more of the substances that make up tears. Dry eyes are common in those who wear contact lenses. Eye diseases, other diseases, and certain medicines can also cause dry eyes. Symptoms of...

  • It's common for a speck of dirt to get blown into your eye, for soap to wash into your eye, or for you to accidentally bump your eye. For these types of minor eye injuries, home treatment is usually all that is needed. See a picture of the eye. Some...

  • It's not uncommon for a speck of dirt or a small object, such as an eyelash or makeup, to get in your eye. Usually your natural tears will wash the object out. Objects may scratch the surface of the eye (cornea) or may become stuck on the eye. If the cornea is scratched, it can be hard to tell when you have gotten the...

  • Ice and cold packs can reduce the pain, swelling, and bleeding of an injury. Cold therapy is usually used immediately after an injury. For an eye injury, use one of the following methods: Ice towel. Wet a towel with cold water and squeeze it until it is just damp. Fold the towel, place it in a plastic...

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