Millions of Americans struggle with various eye diseases and disorders that result in a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild discomfort to full vision loss.

While this is a shocking statistic, what is even more sobering is many of these diseases and disorders have little to no early symptoms. Left untreated, even the mildest eye disease can affect your vision and reduce your quality of life.

Fortunately, getting regular eye exams is a great way to monitor your eyes and keep them healthy and fully functioning. If you want to maintain healthy eyes, here are the most common eye diseases and disorders to look out for.

1. Cataracts

Cataracts are a common eye problem that affects mostly adults, but can also affect children. This disease is caused by lumps of protein that gradually cloud your vision. You can treat cataracts by removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial one.

If you suspect your child has cataracts, contact a pediatric eye specialist right away.

2. Crossed Eyes

Crossed eyes are a common eye disorder in which the eyes do not look in the same direction. It’s caused by farsightedness or poor eye muscle control. You can treat crossed eyes in a variety of ways, such as eyeglasses, surgery, or vision therapy.

3. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the most common groups of eye diseases. This condition happens when a damaged nerve causes a loss of vision. You can treat glaucoma with medication, eye drops, surgery, laser treatment, or a combination of these treatments.

4. Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment is one of the common eye issues many people experience. With this issue, your retina becomes detached from the supportive tissue at the back of your eye. Retinal detachment is treated with laser surgery.

5. Uveitis

Uveitis is a group of inflammatory diseases of the eye. With these diseases, your eye becomes inflamed and swollen, which eventually destroys your eye tissue. You can treat uveitis with eye drops or oral medication.

6. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is a common eye problem that usually occurs in older people. With this eye condition, a deteriorated retina and leaking blood vessels cause blurry vision.

If you have wet age-related macular degeneration, you will be treated with vision therapy or eye injections. However, if you have dry age-related macular degeneration, there is no treatment available, although you can manage the condition with vision aids.

These Are the Common Eye Diseases and Their Treatments

There are many types of eye diseases and disorders you can develop during your lifetime.

You may experience cataracts, crossed eyes, or glaucoma. You may also develop a retinal detachment, uveitis, or age-related macular degeneration. If you have any symptoms or suspect there may be a problem with your eyes, make sure to visit the appropriate eye doctor right away.

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