Trachoma

Trachoma is a bacterial infection of the eye.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Trachoma is caused by infection with the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis.

The condition occurs worldwide, mostly in rural settings in developing countries. It frequently affects children, although the effects of scarring may not be seen until later in life. While trachoma is rare in the United States, certain populations marked by poverty, crowded living conditions, or poor hygiene are at higher risk for this illness.

Strabismus

Strabismus is a disorder in which the two eyes do not line up in the same direction, and therefore do not look at the same object at the same time. The condition is more commonly known as "crossed eyes."

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Six different muscles surround the eyes and work "as a team" so that both eyes can focus on the same object.

In someone with strabismus, these muscles do not work together. As a result, one eye looks at one object, while the other eye turns in a different direction and is focused on another object.

Pterygium

A pterygium is a non-cancerous growth of the clear, thin tissue (conjunctiva) that lays over the white part of the eye (sclera). One or both eyes may be involved.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause is unknown, but it is more common in people with excess outdoor exposure to sunlight and wind, such as those who work outdoors.

Risk factors are exposure to sunny, dusty, sandy, or windblown areas. Farmers, fishermen, and people living near the equator are often affected. Pterygium is rare in children.

Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness is when light entering the eye is focused incorrectly, making distant objects appear blurred. Nearsightedness is a type of refractive error of the eye.

If you are nearsighted, you have trouble seeing things that are far away.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

People are able to see because the front part of the eye bends (refracts) light and points it to the back surface of the eye, called the retina.

Nearsightedness occurs when the physical length of the eye is greater than the optical length.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

In many cases, damage to the optic nerve is due to increased pressure in the eye, also known as intraocular pressure (IOP).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the United States. There are four major types of glaucoma:

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