Astigmatism
1. is a vision problem that causes objects to appear distorted and blurry. It often
affects both distance and near vision. It is the most common vision problem and it
may occur with nearsightedness and farsightedness.
It usually causes vision to be blurry at distance as well as near. Patients with it
often feel tired after reading and find that letters and words appear to be slanted.
Squinting and tilting the head seems to improve vision distortion caused by it. It can
be corrected with prescriptive glasses.
Cataracts
2. When _____ are mentioned, people often think of a film that grows on their eyes
causing them to see double or blurred images. However, a ___ does not form on the
eye, but rather within the eye. A _____ is a clouding of the natural lens, the part of
the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear, sharp images. The lens
is contained in a sealed bag or capsule. As old cells die they become trapped within
the capsule. Over time, the cells accumulate causing the lens to cloud, making
images look blurred or fuzzy. For most people, it is a natural result of aging.In fact,
they are the leading cause of visual loss among adults 55 and older. Eye injuries,
certain medications, and diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism have also been
known to cause ________.
Cytomegalovirus
3. Newborn infants who survive a prenatal infection from it may not weigh very
much at birth. This infection can be very serious for an infant because it can
cause many complications and disabilities.
The most common illness caused by it is retinitis. This is the death of cells in the
retinas, the back of the eye. It can quickly cause blindness unless treated. The
first signs of ___ retinitis are vision problems such as moving black spots called
“floaters”. This may indicate an inflammation of the retinas.
Diabetic Retinopathy
4. _________ causes damage to the blood vessels in the retina. It is the most common diabetic
eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the
blood vessels of the retina. In some people with it, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In
other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the
light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.
If you have it, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, it can get worse
and cause vision loss. It usually affects both eyes.
Glaucoma
5. is the name for a group of diseases that can destroy the optic nerve, the main nerve of the
eye. The word _________ means "hard eyeball." Any one of the conditions classified as ______
can lead to irreversible blindness by damaging the optic nerve. It sneaks up on people. There
are no symptoms other than loss of vision, which can occur so gradually that many people do
not realize it is happening. The first vision loss is usually peripheral vision (what you can see off
to the sides when you are looking straight ahead). Even though it cannot be cured, it can be
treated. If it is spotted in its early stages, before any sight is lost, blindness can almost always
be prevented. But the longer it remains untreated, the more vision can be lost.
Macular Degeneration
6. is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back
layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve
from the eye to the brain. The retina's central portion, known as the macula, is
responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read,
drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP)
7. refers to a group of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration. The cell-rich
retina lines the back inside wall of the eye. It is responsible for capturing images
from the visual field. People with it experience a gradual decline in their vision
because photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) die.
Optic Atrophy
8. It is a condition that affects the optic nerve, which carries impulses from the eye
to the brain. (It means to waste away or deteriorate.) It is not a disease, but rather a
sign of a potentially more serious condition. It results from damage to the optic
nerve from many different kinds of pathologies. The condition can cause problems
with vision, including blindness. The optic nerve is composed of nerve fibers that
transmit impulses to the brain. In the case of ____, something is interfering with the
optic nerve’s ability to transmit these impulses. The symptoms of optic atrophy
relate to a change in vision, specifically: blurred vision, difficulties with peripheral
(side) vision, difficulties with color vision and a reduction in sharpness of vision
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
9. It is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants
weighing about 2¾ pounds (1250 grams) or less that are born before 31 weeks of
gestation (A full-term pregnancy has a gestation of 38–42 weeks). The smaller a
baby is at birth, the more likely that baby is to develop it. This disorder—which
usually develops in both eyes—is one of the most common causes of visual loss in
childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness. It was first
diagnosed in 1942.
Ushers Type 1
10. It is an inherited condition characterized by hearing impairment and
progressive vision loss. The vision loss is due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a
degenerative condition of the retina, and usually appears during adolescence or
early adulthood. Balance may also be affected. Symptoms vary from person to
person and progress at different rates. People with it are born completely deaf and
experience problems with balance. The first signs of RP — night blindness and loss
of peripheral vision — usually appear in early adolescence.
Ushers Type 2
11. It is an inherited condition characterized by hearing impairment and
progressive vision loss. The vision loss is due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a
degenerative condition of the retina, and usually appears during adolescence or
early adulthood. Balance may also be affected. Symptoms vary from person to
person and progress at different rates. In ____newborns have moderate to severe
hearing impairment. Symptoms of RP typically start shortly after adolescence.
Visual problems progress less rapidly than in ____ and hearing loss usually remains
stable.
Ushers Type 3
12. It is an inherited condition characterized by hearing impairment and
progressive vision loss. The vision loss is due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a
degenerative condition of the retina, and usually appears during adolescence or
early adulthood. Balance may also be affected. Symptoms vary from person to
person and progress at different rates. A rarer third type of it was documented in
1995. Children with it are usually born with good or only mild impairment of
hearing. Their hearing and vision loss is progressive, starting around puberty.
Balance may be affected.