Ophthalmology is a field of clinical medicine that studies eye diseases: pathological conditions of the eyeball and the accessory apparatus of the eye – lacrimal glands, eyelids, conjunctiva, as well as bone and soft tissue structures surrounding the eyes.
The most important task of ophthalmology is the development and improvement of methods for the prevention, detection and treatment of eye diseases aimed at preserving and correcting visual function. Specialists in the field of eye diseases are ophthalmologists. More narrow ophthalmological specialties include surgical and laser ophthalmology, ophthalmooncology, ophthalmic traumatology, pediatric ophthalmology, etc.
The visual analyzer is a unique sense organ in its meaning. With the help of vision, a person receives up to 80% of information about the world around him. Unfortunately, the percentage of people suffering from eye diseases worldwide is steadily increasing. Therefore, it is so important to have an idea of the first signs of eye diseases, measures for the prevention of ophthalmopathology and ways of its treatment, as well as to understand the importance of timely seeking qualified ophthalmological care.
A disease of this category can occur at any age: they can be genetically determined, congenital, acquired. In children, a significant decrease and loss of vision leads to a delay in mental development, negatively affects the speech function, the motor sphere in the future, forms distorted, fuzzy, fragmentary ideas about the surrounding reality, makes it difficult to establish social ties and behavioral skills in society.
In this regard, the system of early care in ophthalmology provides screening of newborns, children of early, preschool and school age in order to identify subclinical signs (retinopathy of prematurity, strabismus, amblyopia, glaucoma, cataracts, myopia, hyperopia, etc.) and provide early correctional medical and pedagogical assistance.
Acquired diseases can be associated with common and infectious human diseases: beriberi A, measles rubella, diabetes mellitus, injuries, chronic foci of bacterial infection, hypertension, atherosclerosis, renal pathology, neurological diseases, pregnancy pathology, etc. Most often in ophthalmology eye diseases are diagnosed, characterized by abnormalities in the optical apparatus of the eye – hyperopia, presbyopia, myopia, astigmatism, etc.
A large group of eye diseases consists of inflammatory pathology of various structures of the organ of vision – conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis, iridocyclitis, retinitis, uveitis, endophthalmitis, barley, etc. Traumatic damage to the structures of the eye is extremely dangerous in its consequences – burns, mechanical damage to the eyes, ingestion of foreign bodies.
Diseases can develop acutely or gradually, suddenly manifesting itself with a sharp decrease in vision. This kind of pathology primarily includes diseases of the neurovascular apparatus of the eye: atrophy of the optic nerve, ischemic neuropathy of the optic nerve, occlusion of the arteries and veins of the retina, chorioretinal dystrophy, etc. Factors that negatively affect the function of vision and increase the risk of eye diseases are considered age, chronic heart and vascular diseases, metabolic diseases, adverse environmental conditions, stress, smoking, deficiency of vitamins and rare trace elements (zinc, selenium), etc.
The last decades have been marked by the rapid development of ophthalmology. At the disposal of specialists today are modern equipment, innovative technologies, minimally invasive techniques. To detect eye diseases, a large range of diagnostic techniques is used – test, biometric, ultrasound, electrophysiological, X-ray, optical, laboratory, etc. Laser installations used for vision correction, treatment of corneal and retinal pathology, glaucoma and cataracts have found wide application in the surgery of eye diseases.
Traditional therapeutic manipulations, hardware methods of vision correction, microsurgical techniques for the treatment have not lost their relevance in ophthalmology. To date, most surgical interventions in ophthalmology can be performed on an outpatient basis.
Eye metallosis is a pathology that develops due to the ingress of a metal fragment into the eye. The clinical picture is represented by a decrease in visual acuity, the appearance of “floating opacities”, “fog” in front of the eyes, pronounced discomfort, increased tearfulness, photophobia. Diagnostics includes visometry, biomicroscopy, perimetry, gonioscopy, ultrasound, non-contact tonometry, orbit…
Optic nerve meningioma is a predominantly benign intraocular tumor that develops from the arachnoid membrane of the optic nerve or cells of periorbital localization. Depending on the type of growth of the neoplasm, the leading symptoms are a decrease in visual acuity, soreness inside the eye socket and in the corresponding half of the head,…
Choroid melanoma is a malignant neoplasm of the vascular membrane of the eye with a predominantly hematogenous metastasis pathway. Clinically, it is most often manifested by pain syndrome, decreased visual acuity, photopsias and metamorphopsias. Diagnostics consists of biomicroophthalmoscopy, ophthalmoscopy, fluorescence angiography, ultrasound Doppler color mapping, CT and MRI. Common methods of treating choroid melanoma are…
Eye melanoma is a malignant neoplasm originating from melanocytes and affecting the eyelid, conjunctiva or vascular membrane of the eye. It can be manifested by visual errors, deterioration of vision of objects, gradual loss of peripheral vision, change in the shape of the pupil, exophthalmos and other symptoms. In some cases, a visible pigmented formation…
Meibomitis is an inflammation of the meibomian glands, manifested by hyperemia, edema, soreness in the affected area and the presence of purulent infiltrate. This pathology is accompanied by the release of a “foamy” secretion, dense yellow or grayish masses, followed by the formation of dry crusts. Diagnosis is based on the results of biomicroscopy, microscopic…
Meibomian keratitis is a corneal lesion that develops against the background of chronic purulent inflammation of the meibomian glands and a violation of their secretory function. Meibomian keratitis is manifested by corneal syndrome, pain, small superficial infiltrates and corneal opacity, inflammatory injection of the eyeball, decreased vision. The diagnosis is made on the basis of…
Megalocornea is a rare genetically determined disease characterized by an increase in the diameter of the cornea. The severity of clinical manifestations varies from an asymptomatic course to such nonspecific symptoms as decreased visual acuity and the appearance of “fog” in front of the eyes. The main diagnosis of megalocorneia includes an objective examination, ultrasound…
Macular rupture is a disease accompanied by the formation of a defect in the macular region of the retina. In the initial stages, it is asymptomatic. Clinical manifestations are found only at late stages in the form of a sharp decrease in visual acuity, the formation of a dark spot in the central part of…
Lagophthalmos is an ophthalmopathology in which the process of closing the eyelids is disrupted. Clinically, the disease is manifested by conjunctival hyperemia, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, photophobia, decreased visual acuity, increased dryness and lacrimation. A visual examination is sufficient to make a diagnosis. Biomicroscopy of the eyes, visometry, ultrasound and OCT are performed to…
Cryptophthalmos is a congenital disease characterized by the absence of eyelids, a violation of the development of the eyeball and the cavity of the orbit. Ophthalmopathology is accompanied by a decrease or loss of visual functions, discomfort, pain syndrome, xerophthalmia. To make a diagnosis, an external examination, ultrasound of the eye, visometry, computed tomography of…
