9 conditions
Eye conditions, A to Z
What the common ones feel like, how quickly to act, and which appointment sorts it.
- Routine
Cataract
The lens inside the eye clouds with age. Very common after 65 and fully treatable.
- Gradual misting of vision
- Glare from headlights
- Colours look faded
An examination confirms it and, when it is affecting daily life, we refer you for surgery.
- Routine
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetes damages small blood vessels in the retina. Usually silent at first.
- None early
- Blurred or patchy vision later
Annual monitoring with OCT and retinal photography, results shared with your GP.
- Routine
Dry eye
Tears evaporate too fast or are too few. Very common with screens and in air-conditioned rooms.
- Gritty or burning eyes
- Watering, oddly
- Blurred vision that clears on blinking
Book the dry eye clinic. Drops from the chemist treat one cause of five.
- Same day
Flashes and a curtain
Can be a retinal tear or detachment. Treatable if caught quickly.
- Flashes of light
- A shadow or curtain across part of the vision
- A sudden burst of floaters
Phone now. We see you today or send you straight to the eye hospital.
- Within a week
Floaters
Small shapes drifting across your vision. Usually harmless changes in the jelly of the eye.
- Specks or cobwebs that move with your eye
- More visible against bright backgrounds
A sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light or a shadow at the edge of vision is urgent: phone the same day.
- Routine
Glaucoma
Damage to the optic nerve, usually from raised pressure. No symptoms until late, which is why the scan matters.
- None early on
- Patchy side vision later
- Family history is the main warning
Have an OCT scan and pressure check every year if it runs in your family, every two years otherwise.
- Within a week
Macular degeneration
Wear and tear at the centre of the retina. The wet form needs prompt treatment.
- Straight lines look wavy
- A blurred or missing patch in the centre
- Trouble reading
Sudden distortion needs an OCT scan within days. Book the enhanced examination or phone.
- Within a week
Red eye
Most red eyes are conjunctivitis or a burst blood vessel. Some are not.
- Redness with discharge or grittiness
- Pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision are the warning signs
Painful, light-sensitive or blurred: same day. Otherwise phone and we advise.
- Routine
Short-sight in children
Myopia that increases each year raises the risk of eye disease later. It can be slowed.
- Sitting close to screens
- Squinting at the board
- Prescription changing every year
Book a children’s eye test and ask about myopia control.