Eye Health
ACES - Acute Community Eyecare Service for Somerset
ACES is a free service available to all patients registered with a Somerset GP. The service is designed for the assessment and treatment of recently occurring medical eye conditions. For more details please follow this link to the Somerset PCT website. You may find the information below regarding some of the more common problems useful, but please contact us if you would like to make an appointment.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure within the eye increases. There are several different types of glaucoma but the two main categories are acute and chronic.
Acute glaucoma occurs when there is a rapid increase of pressure within the eye and is signified by extreme, vomit inducing headaches, blurred vision, a very red eye and severe discomfort to light. This is classified as an ocular emergency and the patient should go straight to their nearest eye casualty unit or there may be permanent loss of sight. It may have been preceded by occasional headaches and blurred vision in dim illumination situations such as the cinema, which cleared following exposure to brighter light. This condition is not very common.
Chronic glaucoma is more common and is most frequently discovered during a routine eye examination at an optometric practice. A glaucoma sufferer's direct family members are 10% more likely to develop it than the general population, and the risks of it emerging increase as we age. It is not associated with any pain or discomfort and if not detected early then irreversible sight loss may be the result.
Cataract Surgery
A cataract is a mistiness or haziness developing within the lens of the eye. It generally develops slowly over a period of time and is associated with reduced distance vision, increased sensitivity to sunlight and dazzle when driving at night. The criteria for surgery involves assessing how much the cataract is affecting the quality of life, and the surgery itself involves removing the cataract from the lens capsule and replacing it with a plastic lens to give clear vision.
Dry Eyes
As we mature, our lacrimal glands tend to produce fewer tears, causing a foreign body sensation, soreness and grittiness. The symptoms are often exaggerated by computer use as we blink 3 to 5 times less frequently when viewing a screen. Symptoms can be alleviated by the use of artificial tears available from your optometrist or pharmacist.
Flashes and Floaters
As the vitreous humor, or gel like liquid inside the eye matures it tends to become less gel like and more liquid. It also shrinks and pulls away from the retina. As it does so it can remain attached at key points, particularly at the Ora Serrata, or edge of the retina. As it pulls on this region it will stimulate the retina to send messages to the brain which the brain interpretes as peripheral flashing lights, often in an arc. If the vitreous doesn't detach from the retina, there is the potential for it to pull on the retina, causing a tear, often releasing tissue into the eye with the appearance of floating black spots.
For this reason it is important that any new or changed incidence of floaters or flashing lights is investigated rapidly by your optometrist (in Somerset under the emergency scheme or ACES) or by an ophthalmologist in your local hospital eye department.
Blepharitis Treatment
Blepharitis is an infection of the eyelid margin. It is associated with crusting along the base of the eyelashes and if left untreated can cause distortion of the lid margin and eyelash growth direction. It is a frequently occurring problem.
There is no quick way to treat blepharitis - it requires regular attention over a long period of time. The animation (accessed via the link above) indicates a warm flannel can be used to help alleviate the problem, but it is better to use special eyepads that can be warmed and rewarmed in the microwave.
There is no quick way to treat blepharitis - it requires regular attention over a long period of time. The animation (accessed via the link above) indicates a warm flannel can be used to help alleviate the problem, but it is better to use special eyepads that can be warmed and rewarmed in the microwave.
Macular Degeneration
The macular is the central area of our retina - the bit we use to see in front of us. Over time it starts to work less efficiently and in some people the quality of vision drops to the point at which it affects their quality of life. Age Related Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of registerable blindness in the over 60 year old age group.
Sometimes the decline in vision can be arrested using oral supplements or in certain instances injections into the eye, however this animation, Macula Degeneration Risk Factors highlights what you can do to reduce the risk of developing it.
Sub-Conjunctival Bleed
A sub conjunctival bleed or haemorrhage is one of the more dramatic yet innocuous eye problems. It is normally painless and does not effect the vision. It is caused by a bleed from small blood vessels located between the clear membrane over the white of the eye, known as the conjunctiva, and the white of the eye itself. It can be associated with raised blood pressure or excessive rubbing of the eye but has no other significance. It will gradually change colour and disappear over a period of about two weeks.
For more information, please contact us.
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