Why is it important to detect eye diseases early?
The leading causes of irreversible vision loss or blindness are: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. These diseases tend to come on “silently”, without pain or other symptoms in the earliest stages, which is why early detection is the key to preventing vision loss. The later an eye problem is diagnosed, the harder it becomes to treat. Sometimes eye diseases occur with the natural aging process. Other times, they run in families, in the same way that cancer or heart disease might. Diseases and conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure also increase the risk for eye problems. Your eye doctor will check the health of your eyes inside and out for signs of early problems. In most cases, early detection and treatment of eye diseases can help reduce your risk for permanent vision loss. Please note: The Medical Education section of our website provides a very basic overview of the anatomy of the eye as well as basic information about some eye disease
