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Common Eye Problems
Megan Manfull, 11 Mar 2019

Questions About Common Eye Problems| VSP Vision Plans

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We all agree healthy vision and proper eye care is important. We rely on our eyes for basic communication, safe transportation, and day-to-day activities. However, many common eye problems can often go unnoticed because they seem to go away on their own. While this might be true in most cases, there could be something else going on beneath the surface. Take a look at six of the most common eye problem questions.

Common Eye Problem Question 1: What causes eyestrain?

Long periods of reading, working on a computer, and driving can wear out your eyes. If they are feeling particularly tired give them a break. It’s completely normal but just like any other part of your body, they need rest. If a few days pass with no improvement be sure to contact your doctor, there might be another problem.

Common Eye Problem Question 2: Can eyestrain cause red eyes?

No one likes to look in the mirror and find bloodshot eyes staring back at them. Most common causes are eyestrain, late nights, lack of sleep or allergies, but it could be a symptom of pink eye or sun damage. Rest and over-the-counter eye drops are the most common treatments, but you may need to see an eye doctor if the problem doesn’t clear up.

Common Eye Problem Question 3: What causes dry eyes?

Ever feel like your eyes are burning? Or there’s something in there that you can’t see? Your discomfort may be caused by dry eyes which occurs when you don’t produce enough quality tears. Treatments can be as easy as using a humidifier, special eye drops, nutritional supplements, or plugs in your tear ducts to lessen drainage. If your dry eye becomes chronic, you may have dry eye disease. You’ll need to contact your eye doctor for further treatments.

Common Eye Problem Question 4: What causes color blindness?

When the color cells in your eye are absent, you may have a problem telling the difference between colors, the most common being red and green. Most people are born with color blindness, but it can be caused from disease or certain drug usage. If you’re born with it, there is no treatment but you can try special glasses or contacts to help you tell the difference between colors.

Common Eye Problem Question 5: What are eye floaters?

Have you ever seen little specks or squiggles float across you vision, especially on a bright day? This is caused by protein fibers that make up a gel like substance in the back of your eye called vitreous. As you age these protein fibers shrink down in little shreds and clump together to cast shadows. These are known as floaters and they’re very common, but they can be a sign of a more serious problem like retinal detachment. If you notice a sudden change in the type and number of specks or flashes, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible.

Common Eye Problem Question 6: What causes vision changes?

Mostly known as a symptom of age, vision changes are fairly normal. You can choose from glasses, contacts or LASIK surgery to correct this problem. However, it is important to visit your eye doctor if you experience vision changes because other diseases like cataracts or glaucoma might be the culprit. These changes can be dangerous and need immediate care.

If you have questions about these or other common eye problems, use your VSP Individual Vision Plan to schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor today.

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