Common Eye Disorders

Here are descriptions of some common eye disorders and how you can help clients who suffer from them.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma causes fluid to build up inside the eye. This puts increased pressure on the optic nerve—slowly causing damage to the retina. Many people with glaucoma have no symptoms until the eye is already damaged.

Encourage clients who have eye drops for glaucoma to use them exactly as ordered—even if they don’t think they have a problem.
Remind clients with glaucoma to move their heads to look up, down, left and right—especially in unfamiliar environments.

Cataracts

When a cataract develops on the eye, the lens becomes cloudy or “fogged up”. Cataracts are not contagious—and can’t spread from eye to eye. The most common type of cataract is caused by the aging process. More than half of all people over age 65 have a cataract.

Help clients delay cataracts from developing by encouraging them to wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block ultraviolet rays when out in the sunlight.
Clients with cataracts may need brighter lighting than others and may benefit from using a magnifying lens to read, dial a phone, etc.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is an inflammation of the white part of the eye. It has many causes including viral infections, bacterial infections and allergies. “Pink eye” makes the eye look red and irritated. The eye often itches and has a pus-like discharge.

Report to your supervisor right away if you notice symptoms of pink eye. Depending on the cause, medication may be needed.
Apply a cold or warm compress to ease discomfort. Never share towels or washcloths between clients.
Wash your hands often to avoid spreading pink eye to yourself or others.

Macular Degeneration

In the center of the retina lies a small pea-sized spot called the macula. If the macula deteriorates for some reason, people experience blurry vision. This condition is known as macular degeneration.

Because macular degeneration affects the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail, your client may benefit from hearing detailed descriptions of what he or she is seeing.

Blepharitis

People who have a chronic inflammation of the edges of their eyelids suffer from blepharitis. Blepharitis can caused by many things including a bacterial infection, malfunctioning oil glands on the eyelid or even allergies. Blepharitis is uncomfortable but does not lead to long term vision loss.

Remind clients to avoid anything that irritates the eyes, such as eye makeup and perfumed lotions.
Assist clients with blepharitis to rinse out their eyes daily—according to your plan of care and/or workplace procedure.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome affects about five percent of Americans and is caused by a decrease in the quality or quantity of tears. It can be caused by normal aging of the tear glands or by a number of eye diseases. Symptoms include constant eye pain, a feeling of grit or sand in the eyes, sensitivity to light and being unable to cry.

Make sure your client is drinking enough water. Even mild dehydration can make dry eyes even dryer.
Protect your client’s eyes from sun, wind, and dust when outside with sunglasses. The wrap around style provides the best protection.

Refractory Errors

Here are the most common refractory errors:

Nearsightedness when things far away are blurry.
Farsightedness when things close vision is blurry.
Presbyopia when the eyes have trouble focusing close up (generally due to age).
Astigmatism when the cornea (the clear tissue covering the front of the eye) is abnormally curved, causing vision to be out of focus.

If your client wears glasses to see, be sure he or she has them on before walking, exercising, eating, or leaving the home environment.
Be sure your client’s glasses are within easy reach of the bed before going to sleep. Getting up in the middle of the night can be a challenge without glasses!
Check that the glasses are clean and in good repair.