Interferon medicines work by boosting your immune system. They fight things like viruses, bacteria and cancer, and can be used to treat other diseases as well. Interferon medicine can cause retinopathy. Retinopathy is a disease of the retina that can lead to vision loss. In most cases, retinopathy due

Intermediate uveitis is inflammation of the uvea in the middle of the eye. You are more likely to get intermediate uveitis if you have had certain diseases or infections. Symptoms include blurry vision and floaters. This is a serious condition that must be treated immediately to save vision. Treatment

Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (ICE) causes movement and loss of corneal cells. Loss of these cells can cause corneal swelling, and the iris and pupil can become distorted. When the corneal cells move, they can block fluid from draining properly. This blockage causes pressure in the eye to build,

Ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) is when blood does not flow properly to your eye’s optic nerve. When the optic nerve does not get enough oxygen or nutrition, the nerve is damaged and you lose vision, usually permanently. If blood flow to your optic nerve is reduced, your vision will darken for a few

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an inflammatory disease that affects children under the age of 16. With JIA, joints become red, swollen, tender, and painful. Some children with JIA also get uveitis, which is inflammation of the eyes. Uveitis can cause vision loss if it’s not found and treated

Juvenile macular dystrophy is a group of inherited eye disorders. It affects children and young adults. It passes from parent to child. The most common form of juvenile macular degeneration is Stargardt disease. Other types include Best’s disease and juvenile retinoschisis. Juvenile macular dystrophy

With keratoconus, the cornea thins and bulges out like a cone, affecting vision. Keratoconus treatment depends on your symptoms. With mild symptoms, eyeglasses can correct your vision. With more severe symptoms, there are other treatment options that can include hard contact lenses, medication or surgery.

LASIK is a type of refractive surgery. With this outpatient procedure, a laser is used to reshape your cornea, improving how light rays are focused in the eye. LASIK is used to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. It cannot correct presbyopia, the normal loss of

A laser is an intense beam of light. In surgery, one type of laser can be used to create heat energy, and another can be used to cut or sculpt. Ophthalmologists often use lasers in surgery to treat certain eye problems, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, refractive errors,

Laser iridotomy is a type of surgery to treat and prevent angle-closure glaucoma. This form of glaucoma is when your iris blocks fluid (called aqueous) from leaving the front of the eye as it should. Pressure in the eye rises and the optic nerve is damaged. Laser iridotomy helps fluid drain properly

Laser trabeculoplasty is a type of surgery to treat open-angle glaucoma. This surgery helps lower your eye pressure by allowing fluid to drain properly from the front of the eye. If you have glaucoma, it is important to see your ophthalmologist regularly to check for any eye and vision changes. If you

Lattice degeneration is a thinning of the retina in the back of the eye. About 1 in 10 people have lattice degeneration, and most don’t know they have it because there are no symptoms. Lattice degeneration is most often diagnosed during a dilated eye exam. Most people with lattice degeneration don’t

Learning disabilities are problems with reading, writing, doing math, listening, speaking or concentrating. Learning disabilities are not caused by eye problems. Instead, a learning disability is caused by problems with how the brain processes what it sees or hears. Children may first show learning disability

If you have vision in only one eye, it is very important to protect that eye. Keeping your functioning eye healthy and safe protects your lifestyle too. Without adequate vision in your functioning eye, you may no longer be able to: Work Read Drive Play sports Enjoy certain social activities Live independently

Low vision is when you have lost a certain amount of eyesight. With low vision it is hard or impossible to do many of your normal tasks. Low vision can happen at any age. While more common in those over 50, normal aging itself does not cause low vision. You can have low vision because of eye injuries

Lucentis is a drug that is injected into your eye to treat wet AMD and diabetic eye disease. This drug type is called “anti-VEGF.” That is because it blocks a chemical called VEGF. VEGF causes abnormal blood vessels to grow and leak fluid in the eye, affecting vision. Your ophthalmologist will numb