11.4 Eye diseases
Cataract
• Can affect all or part of the lans
• Diagnosed by looking through pupil-
the affected lens will be cloudy white
in color.
Cataract
• Probably the leading cause of
blindness on the Thai/Burma border.
• Only surgery will help
Pterygium
• Name of a special tissue growth on
the cornea.
• Usually triangular, pointing to center.
• Triangle shape
• Points to center
• Cause is unknown, but may be
long exposure to sunlight
• Most patients have it in the family
Treatment
• When you have it, it will not go
away.
• This is not an infection
Treatment
• A large pterygium requires surgery if
it blocks vision
• A small pterygium does not need
removal, because it often comes back
after surgery
Glaucoma
• Disease of the
optic nerve
• The nerve is
damaged by high
pressure.
• Normal eye pressure is 10-22mmHg
• Glaucoma – between 30 and
60mmHg
• The damage done by Glaucoma is
permanent.
Signs
1. Raised eye pressure
2. Field Vision Loss
3. Optic disc cupping
Treatment
• Surgery (refer to specialist if
possible)
• Regular checks and medication to
reduce eye pressure
• Before
Surgery
• After
Surgery
Strabismus
• Strabismus is when
the eyes do not look
in the same direction
• A sudden onset of
squint may be
Strabismus
S/S
• Crossed eyes
• Double vision
• Eyes that do not align in the same
direction
• Uncoordinated eye movements
(eyes do not move together)
Causes
• Slowed development
• History of injury to the eye
• The parents have very bad
eyesight
Diagnosis
Treatment
• If the patient has a squint, refer to
eye clinic.
• If not treated by age 7, the child
can become blind
Treatment
• If no eye clinic, cover the GOOD
eye with a patch, this makes the
bad eye work harder
• Improvement can take 2-3 months