Ophthalmic

There are approximately 40+ parts to the anatomy of the eye. Yes! You heard me correctly...40!

Don't believe me? Here they are (from A-Z):

anterior chamber
aqueous humor
brain
canals of schlemm
choroid
ciliary body
ciliary muscle
conjunctiva
cornea
crystalline lens
eyeball
eyelashes and eyebrows
eyelids
eye socket
fovea (small pit)
inferior oblique muscle tendon
inferior rectus muscle
iris
lacrimal gland (tear duct)
lacrimal sac
lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
lens sack or capsule
macula
optic chiasm
ooptic disk
optic nerve
optic tract
orbital muscle
photoreceptor cells
posterior chamber
pupil
retina
retinal blood vessels
retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
sclera
superior oblique muscle tendon
superior rectus muscle
uvea
visual axis
visual cortex
visual fields
vitreous cavity
vitreous humor
zonules

If you're like me, you wear glasses and contacts because you have some sort of astigmatism or other eye disease. Don't worry, you're not alone. Take a look at these statistics about people in the U.S. with eye diseases:

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Eye Health Statistics At A Glance, April 2011):

Nearly 22 million Americans age 40 and older suffer from cataracts.

Nearly 2.3 million Americans age 40 and older suffer from glaucoma.

Nearly 2 million Americans age 50 and older have advanced AMD, the stage that can lead to severe vision impairment.

Over 4.4 million Americans age 40 and over suffer with diabetic retinopathy. And with the increase of diabetes on the rise (already 26 million have this disease), about 27 percent of those with diabetes---7 million Americans---do not know they even have this disease.

An estimated 3.2 million women age 50 and over, and 1.68 million men age 50 and over are affected by dry eye syndrome.

A Total of 42,642 corneal transplants were performed in the United States in 2010.

Among people age 40 and older, more than 3.6 million are visually impaired, defined as 20/40 or worse vision in the better eye, even with glasses.

More than 1 million people, age 40 and older are legally blind.

Approximately 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women among populations with Northern European ancestry have color blindness, also known as red-green color defects.

More than 32 million Americans age 40 and older are myopic (nearsightedness).

More than 12 million Americans age 40 and older are hyperopic (farsightedness).

More than 150 million Americans use corrective eyewear to compensate for refractive errors and spend more than $15 BILLION each year on eyewear. (Note to self: when you get rich, buy a Lens Crafters.)

Approximately 36 million Americans wear contact lenses.

Approximately 800,000 refractive surgical procedures are performed annually in the U.S. in 2010.

(Image from DesktopNexus.com)

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Phew...after reading those statistics, it's a wonder how any of us are able to see anything! (That explains all of the bad drivers on the road.)

But don't fear. The technology in vision improvement is changing rapidly. Let's take a look at two of the latest and most popular procedures in vision improvement.

LASIK: Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, otherwise known as LASIK, is the revolutionary ophthalmologic procedure that has given people better vision for nearly two decades. Also known as refractive surgery, LASIK is a highly specialized and increasingly customized elective procedure that corrects the imperfections in the cornea that cause common vision problems. (Source: lasikeyesurgery.com)

PRK: PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) once was the most common refractive surgery procedure before LASIK was developed as a more popular alternative. Both PRK and LASIK are grouped under the umbrella "laser eye surgery," but each is a little different when it comes to advantages and disadvantages. LASIK patients have less discomfort and obtain good vision more quickly - whereas, improvement with PRK is gradual and takes days, weeks or even months. But many surgeons prefer PRK in circumstances such as when patients have thin corneas.
Invented in the early 1980s and FDA approved in 1995, the procedure was practiced in other countries for years. In fact, many Americans had the surgery done in Canada before it was available in the United States. (Source: allaboutvision.com)

When should you go to the doctor if you think you have an eye issue? Here are some common reasons and symptoms of eye problems:

LASIK

For most folks, having to wear glasses every single day is just the pits! If they haven't warmed up to the notion of wearing contact lenses, then they are really limited in what activities they can do, like, swimming. And even if they wear contact lenses, it may give them a bit more freedom, but having to deal with them on a daily basis can be just as frustrating as wearing glasses, for some people. These are the people who will visit their friendly, neighborhood ophthalmologist, to get more information on LASIK eye surgery. This procedure is one of the most popular vision correction procedures and many people are pleased with the results.

You have cloudy vision.

If you are experiencing cloudy vision, that could be a sign of something serious. This cloudiness my be a result of protein buildup in the eye. Glasses, sometimes can help correct this issue. However, as time goes by, if the condition gets worse it could mean you have cataracts. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of losing your vision permanently. Again, an ophthalmology professional can help treat cataracts by surgically removing the old lens that has all of the protein build up and inserting a new, artificial lens in its place. In the end, you'll be singing, "I can see clearly now...."

You have excessive blurriness.

Most people, at some time or another, have experienced blurriness in their vision. And typically it's not a big deal, and most people ignore the problem or may not even think they have a problem. But, if the blurriness increases over time, it may can turn into fogginess. And if that happens, you need to see your ophthalmologist right way. You may have glaucoma. Glaucoma is a result of pressure that builds up around the optic nerve, causing damage to the eye and usually requires surgery to fix it.

You are a diabetic.
Diabetic retinopathy 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 diabetic retinopathy, 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 eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision. If you are a diabetic, and have diabetic retinopathy, you may not notice any vision changes, at first. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes. If you notice a change, see your doctor immediately.

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Well, I hope you gained some useful ophthalmic information and learned just how important your eyes are (I know I did.) In a world where most people take the little things for granted, this is one thing you should not take for granted. If you wear glasses, contacts or nothing at all, appreciate the ability to see. There are millions of people out there who wish they had their sight. Come to think of if, they may see more than those of us who actually have the use of our eyes.

Nonetheless, appreciate your eyesight and most of all, take a little time to enjoy the view.

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