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.
Idiopathic blepharospasm is a bilateral involuntary spasm of the circular muscle of the eye, which can be accompanied by spontaneous clonic-tonic contractions of the sternocleidomastoid muscles. Clinical symptoms are represented by rapid blinking, spastic closing of the eye slit, increased lacrimation, a feeling of “sand” in the eyes, burning. MRI, rheoencephalography, biomicroscopy, visometry, electroencephalography are…
Angle closure glaucoma is a sharp increase in intraocular pressure due to blocking the outflow pathways of watery moisture. Pathology occurs against the background of age-related changes, non-inflammatory or traumatic ophthalmic diseases, some endocrine disorders. An attack of glaucoma is characterized by severe pain in the affected eye, loss of visual fields, the appearance of…
Cancer is a serious disease characterized by a complex course and treatment, but not a verdict. Despite a fairly high mortality rate, many patients manage to go into remission. When the disease recedes, a new life begins for the patient, both physically and psychologically. A person’s outlook on the world is changing and there is…
Entropion is an anomaly of the location of the eyelid, in which the conjunctiva and cornea are injured by its ciliated edge. Clinically, the disease is manifested by the sensation of a foreign body, lacrimation, photophobia and painful sensations that increase when blinking or closing the eyes. The diagnosis is established on the basis of…
Diphtheria conjunctivitis is an acute infectious disease characterized by fibrinous inflammation of the conjunctiva. Clinical manifestations include hyperemia, chemosis and the formation of dense grayish films, when attempting to remove which bleeding develops. Specific laboratory tests (latex agglutination reaction, bacteriological examination), biomicroscopy of the eye, visometry and ophthalmoscopy are used for diagnosis. Treatment is reduced…
Ocular dirofilariasis is a disease of the visual organ caused by parasites of the genus Dirofilaria. It is accompanied by the formation of granulomas or nodules containing helminths in the subcutaneous tissue of the eyelids or structures of the eyeball. The clinic depends on the location of the pathogen. Common manifestations characteristic of all forms: pain,…
Diabetic retinopathy is a specific angiopathy affecting the vessels of the retina of the eye and developing against the background of a long course of diabetes mellitus. Diabetic retinopathy has a progressive course: in the initial stages, blurred vision, a veil and floating spots in front of the eyes are noted; in the later stages,…
Diabetic cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eyeball, which leads to visual dysfunction up to amaurosis. The main symptoms of the disease: the appearance of floating “flies” in front of the eyes, diplopia, visual impairment. To make a diagnosis, such studies as visometry, biomicroscopy, retinoscopy, ophthalmoscopy and ultrasound in A-scan mode are…
Vitreous degeneration is a pathology of the organ of vision, accompanied by a violation of the physico–chemical properties of the colloidal gel of the vitreous body. Clinically, the disease is manifested by “flies” and other “floating opacities” in front of the eyes. With progression, visual acuity may decrease. Diagnostics is based on the results of…
Eyelid dermatitis is an inflammatory lesion of the skin of the eyelids. The main symptoms of the disease are burning, itching, specific rashes, hyperemia and edema. Laboratory methods (ELISA, PCR, determination of the IdE level, general blood analysis, histological examination of the biopsy) and instrumental methods of examination (biomicroscopy) are used for diagnosis. Depending on…
