Common Eye Disorders Explained

Sudden blurry vision, persistent redness, or chronic eyestrain are often signs of manageable conditions like MGD, Myopia, or eye misalignment. This guide breaks down the symptoms and modern clinical treatments available at our Richmond clinic to help you protect your long-term vision.

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We’ve compiled some of the most common eye disorders, their causes, and treatments below.

Chronic Dry Eye & MGD: Why Drops Aren’t Enough

Many people think “dry eye” is just a temporary annoyance from wind or late nights. However, the most common form is actually Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)—a condition where the tiny oil glands in your eyelids become blocked. Without this oil, your tears evaporate too quickly, leaving your eyes feeling gritty, burning, or strangely watery.

• The Problem: Standard over-the-counter drops often only mask the symptoms for a few minutes.

• The Modern Solution: We now offer advanced clinical treatments like Blephex and specialized protocols that target the root cause. These technologies help clear the glands and reduce the inflammation that causes dry eye in the first place.

Expert Insight: If you find yourself reaching for eye drops more than three times a day, your eyes are sending a signal. It’s time for a professional dry eye treatment evaluation to see if MGD is the culprit.

Eyestrain

Eyestrain is a prevalent eye disorder. Most people have experienced this at one time or another. This optical issue can be caused by placing excessive strain on the eyes. It often occurs when reading, viewing a screen, or driving for too long. The eyes may begin to feel tired, or a mild burning sensation can occur. Simple rest is often enough to correct this issue. However, if you continue to feel discomfort for a few days, it’s time to visit your doctor.

Eye Redness

Eye redness can often be a minor issue that is caused by the inflammation or irritation of blood vessels near the eye’s surface. This can be caused by an irritant, lack of sleep, or allergies. If the redness in your eyes is linked to some type of traumatic injury, you should see a doctor. Typical treatments for this condition are eye drops to help lubricate the eye, resting your eyes, or taking medication to treat your allergies. Eye redness can also be a warning sign for conjunctivitis, pink eye, or sun damage. These conditions should receive medical treatment from a licensed professional.

Night Blindness

Some people find that they have difficulty navigating in darker areas like movie theaters, dark rooms, or driving at night. Several possibilities could lead to night blindness. Some may have been born with this condition, or it could be the result of a degenerative retina. These issues cannot be resolved by a medical professional. However, night blindness can also be caused by nearsightedness, vitamin A deficiency, cataracts, or keratoconus. All of these issues can be corrected by a doctor.

Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)

Crossed eyes are not a condition that you can fix by yourself. This issue is seen in the eyes not properly lining up with each other. However, an optometrist may be able to help correct this issue, so it’s worth scheduling an appointment.

The Myopia Epidemic: Protecting Your Child’s Future

Nearsightedness (myopia) is rising at an alarming rate. For a child, it isn’t just about needing stronger glasses every year; high myopia significantly increases the risk of serious conditions like retinal detachment and glaucoma later in life.

At Frame & Focus Eye Care, we don’t just “fix” blurry vision; we work to slow it down.

• Ortho-K: Custom lenses worn only at night that gently reshape the cornea while your child sleeps.

• MiSight Lenses: The first FDA-approved soft contact lenses proven to slow myopia progression.

• Learn More: Read our guide on what myopia is to understand how it impacts your child’s eye health.

Next Step: Early intervention is key. Schedule a pediatric eye exam to discuss a long-term myopia control plan.

Nystagmus (Shaky Eyes)

Nystagmus is the constant shaking of the eyes of which the patient has no ability to control. Medical professionals have several options for treatment at their disposal. Sometimes vision therapy is enough to strengthen the muscles and correct the issue. If this doesn’t work, surgery can also correct the problem. Your doctor can discuss your best options with you.

The “Silent” Threat: Why Advanced Imaging is Vital

Conditions like Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration are often called “silent” because they don’t cause pain or noticeable vision loss until permanent damage has occurred.

At our Richmond office, we utilize state-of-the-art technology, such as Retinal Photography and OCT scans, to see deep beneath the surface of your eye. This allows us to detect microscopic changes years before they affect your sight.

• Preventative Care: Regular check-ups are the only way to catch these issues early.

• Specialty Support: For those with unique needs, we also provide specialty contact lens fittings to restore clarity and comfort.

The Bottom Line: Don’t wait for your vision to change to see an eye doctor. A comprehensive eye exam is your best defense against the “silent” threats to your sight.

Headaches and Screen Fatigue? It Might Be Your Alignment

If you spend hours on a computer and suffer from chronic headaches, neck pain, or “heavy” eyes, you may be experiencing more than just standard eyestrain. Often, these symptoms are caused by a slight misalignment between your eyes—a condition known as Trigeminal Dysphoria.

Traditional glasses only correct how you see. Neurolens is a breakthrough technology that corrects how your eyes work together. Using contoured prisms, Neurolenses bring your eyes back into comfortable alignment, significantly reducing the strain on your brain and relieving chronic pain.

Patient Resource: Check out our frequently asked questions about Neurolens to see if this technology could be the solution to your migraines or neck tension.

Colorblindness

Red and green color blindness is the most common form of colorblindness, although other types may affect your ability to see different color combinations. Color blindness occurs because the eyes lack the appropriate “cones” that help to interpret and differentiate these colors. This makes certain colors appear identical to colorblind individuals. Very severe forms of colorblindness only allow individuals to see shades of gray, but this is very rare.

While there is no current treatment for the correction of color blindness, special contact lenses or eyeglasses can be prescribed to help.

Uveitis

This condition is the inflammation of the uvea. There are several potential causes of uveitis that can be very serious, but uveitis is an umbrella phrase that covers all causes that create inflammation of the middle layer of the eye.

Some of these causes can be compromises of the immune system, like AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, or ulcerative colitis. If you have light sensitivity, blurred vision, eye pain, and eye redness that lasts more than a few days, you should see your eye care professional.

Knowing When to Get Help

Your eyes are a sensitive and critical organ for your health, and small injuries or damage to your eyes can have lasting effects. For this reason, if you sense that something is wrong with your eyes, it’s always a good idea to visit your eye care professional. Additionally, make sure to get your regular annual eye exams, which can help detect any issues that your eyes may be having and ensure that you get the appropriate care more quickly.