Few people live a full lifespan without seeing an ophthalmologist—a specialist in disorders of the eye. Thankfully for most of us, a good pair of glasses or contact lenses corrects the irregular shape of the cornea or loss of flexibility in the lens that causes the loss of visual acuity. But for many people, threats to visual health are more severe.
Glaucoma refers to any of several diseases that damage the ophthalmic nerve, which transfer visual impulses from the eye to the brain. In many, patients, glaucoma results from a build-up of fluid pressure of the aqueous humor inside the eye. Untreated glaucoma can result in blindness, as can macular degeneration (a breakdown of the area of the retina that lies near the optic nerve at the back of the eye). Uveitis (inflammation inside the eye caused by an immune disorder or an infection) is another significant cause of blindness.