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...

  • What is dry eye syndrome? Dry eye syndrome is a problem involving your tears. Your eyes need tears to stay clean and healthy. Tears are made by glands behind your upper eyelid. Every time you blink, the tears are pushed across your eye, keeping it moist. They flow into tiny openings, called tear ducts, in the inner...

  • 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...

  • Some minor pain, bruising, and swelling are common following a blow to the eye. A black eye may show up after 1 or 2 days. A few specks or a small amount of blood on the white part of the eye often appear after a blow to the eye. Use home treatment to help relieve your symptoms. A direct blow to the eye can damage 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...

  • Many people have minor eye problems, such as eyestrain, irritated eyes, or itchy, scaly eyelids (blepharitis). These problems may be ongoing (chronic) but usually aren't serious. Home treatment can relieve the symptoms of many minor eye problems....

  • Warmth may relieve pain, relax muscle spasms, increase circulation, and help heal a wound or other problems that affect the eye. For an eye problem, use either of the following methods: Dry warmth. Place a protective layer of fabric between a warm compress and the skin. Heating pads and hot water...

  • Here's help with giving your child eyedrops or eye ointment.

  • Here's help with using eyedrops or an eye ointment.

  • Many people have minor eye problems, such as eyestrain, irritated eyes, or itchy, scaly eyelids (blepharitis). These problems may be ongoing (chronic) but usually aren't serious. Home treatment can relieve the symptoms of many minor eye problems....

  • Eyelid problems may be caused by irritation or infection. Common symptoms are redness, swelling, itching, and excess tearing; some drainage may also be present. Common symptoms of a stye (hordeolum) include swelling and tenderness or a tender red lump on the eyelid with occasional discharge from the lump. A chalazion...

  • Discusses eye disease that damages the optic nerve. Covers open-angle, closed-angle, and congenital glaucoma. Covers importance of finding and treating early, to help prevent blindness. Looks at treatment with medicine and possibly with lasers or surgery.

  • Learn why getting a glaucoma test is important.

  • Vision changes that occur gradually over time or that seem to come and go are usually less serious than changes that occur suddenly and persist. Sudden changes that happen in only one eye are usually the most serious. Any sudden loss of vision lasting for more than a few seconds is a serious symptom that requires...

  • Sometimes small blood vessels in the whites of the eyes break and cause a red spot or speck. This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. The blood vessels may break because of sneezing, coughing, vomiting, straining, or bending over, but sometimes there is no clear cause. The blood may look alarming, especially if the...

  • Learn how to use lighting and contrast to make your home safer.

  • Learn about vision aids that can make life easier and safer.

  • People who have sickle cell disease can sometimes have vision problems. Blood cells that change shape, or "sickle," can get trapped in blood vessels, blocking the blood flow. When this blockage occurs in the small blood vessels in the inner lining...

  • A low-vision evaluation will help you and your doctor find ways to make the best use of your remaining vision. Your doctor will ask questions to find out how your vision loss has affected your life and what changes you have already made to cope with...

  • There are many things you can do to make living with low vision easier and safer. Low-vision rehabilitation specialists can give you detailed information and training on doing your household tasks and other activities that can be more challenging...

  • 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...

  • Vision aids can help you in many of your daily activities. Here are lists of vision aids used in different areas. Which ones might help you? Cooking Vision aids for cooking include: Large-print, ringing, or talking cooking timer. Large-print or marked control dials for stove, oven, and other kitchen appliances...

  • Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, which lies at the back of the eye. This nerve carries visual information from the eye to the brain. If it's inflamed, you may have blurred or double vision or even loss of vision. Your doctor may...

  • Here's help with giving your child eyedrops or eye ointment.

  • Here's help with using eyedrops or an eye ointment.

  • Learn ways to ease the discomfort of pinkeye and keep the infection from spreading.

  • Parents are often the first to notice vision problems in a young child. A vision exam may be needed if your child: Is clumsy (beyond normal toddler clumsiness) and fails to notice new things around him or her. Squints when the light is not bright or...

  • Discusses pinkeye (conjunctivitis). Covers what causes it and symptoms. Offers home treatment tips. Also offers tips to prevent spreading it. Includes pictures of normal eye and one with pinkeye.

  • Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) happens as a normal part of aging. The vitreous gel shrinks and separates from the retina. PVD normally happens over a period of time, and it's something that you won't feel. It happens because the vitreous gel in...

  • Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) happens as a normal part of aging. The vitreous gel shrinks and separates from the retina. PVD normally happens over a period of time, and it's something that you won't feel. It happens because the vitreous gel in...

  • Scleral buckling surgery is a common way to treat retinal detachment. It is a method of closing breaks and flattening the retina. A scleral buckle is a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semi-hard plastic that your eye doctor (ophthalmologist)...

  • Pneumatic retinopexy is a surgery to repair certain types of retinal detachments. It is usually an outpatient procedure, which means you don't need to stay in the hospital. Before surgery, your eye is numbed with local anesthesia. Then the eye...

  • What is retinal detachment? The retina is a thin membrane of nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye. When part or all of the retina comes off (detaches from) the back of the eye, it is called retinal detachment. The nerve cells in the retina normally detect light entering the eye and send signals to the brain...

  • Vitrectomy is a surgery to remove the vitreous gel from the middle of the eye. It may be done when there is a retinal detachment or if blood in the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage) does not clear on its own. Removing the vitreous gel gives your...

  • Laser photocoagulation and cryopexy are used to fix tears in the retina and prevent a retinal detachment. These methods work well to treat certain retinal tears. But some people will need future treatment for a tear in another part of the retina. You can usually receive these treatments in a doctor's office or an...

  • Vitrectomy is a surgery to remove the vitreous gel from the middle of the eye. It may be done when there is a retinal detachment or if blood in the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage) does not clear on its own. Removing the vitreous gel gives your...

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