Dental and General Health

The eyes are your organs of vision. They are contained in the bony sockets of your skull. Eye movement is dependent on six delicate muscles attached to the top, sides and bottom of each eyeball. The lids, which protect the eyes, are controlled by other muscles that are both voluntary and involuntary.

The eye is made up of several parts, each of which performs a specific function. The major parts of the eyes include the sclera, cornea, iris, lens, retina, pupil, and optic nerve. The sclera is the white, outer covering of the eyeball. This is where extraocular muscles are all attached. The cornea is the translucent tissue that covers the front of the eye. It does not have blood vessels but do contain some nerves. The iris is the pigmented layer that controls the size of the pupils. This is responsible for the color of the eyes. The pupil is the hole in the center of the eye where light passes through.

The lens is the transparent tissue that bends the light while the retina contains the light- and color-sensitive rods and cones. And, there’s the optic nerve which is responsible for carrying visual signals from the eye to the brain.

The main part of the eyeball is filled with vitreous humor and the area in front of the lens is filled with aqueous humor. The eyes are constantly lubricated, cleansed and protected from infection by the tears secreted through the lacrimal ducts.

Taking care of the eyes is very important. Without these organs of vision, you won’t be able to see and appreciate your surroundings. Hence, if there are any variations of vision that is noticed, it is best brought to an optometrist right away.

Among the common disorders of vision are astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness and presbyopia, all of which can be corrected by prescribed lenses.

Only a licensed optometrist, like the Austin Optometrist, can prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses for those with vision problems.

Many eye disorders also progress slowly and insidiously. Therefore, regular check-ups should be scheduled to your Austin optometrist or ophthalmologist before any dramatic changes in vision can occur. Cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, three common causes of blindness, can be treated effectively when diagnosed early.

Even less serious eye conditions like dry eyes wherein the eye is deprived of its normal lubrication should be addressed accordingly with nonprescription artificial tears. Unpleasant eye symptoms that develop with computer use and exposure to dust or pollution in the workplace should not be taken lightly. To avoid infecting the eye, especially in women, avoid borrowing or lending personal eye brushes or makeup to other people. When engaging in sports, it is also necessary to wear the right protective equipment for the eyes.