Health Topic

Eye Diseases

Some eye problems are minor and go away. Others can cause vision loss. Learn about diseases of the eye, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

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Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Eye Diseases

Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That's why regular eye exams are so important. Refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem that makes it hard to see clearly. But some eye conditions or diseases don't have any symptoms and can lead to a permanent loss of vision.

Some common eye diseases and conditions include:

  • Cataracts, which happens when the clear lens in the front of your eye becomes cloudy. Cataracts are common as you get older and can lead to vision loss.
  • Optic nerve disorders, which includes glaucoma. Glaucoma usually happens when the fluid pressure inside your eyes slowly rises.
  • Retinal disorders, which are problems with the nerve layer at the back of your eye.
  • Macular degeneration, which is a disease that destroys your sharp, central vision.
  • Diabetic eye problems, which can cause vision loss and blindness.
  • Conjunctivitis, which is an infection also known as pink eye. It can cause pink or red itchy eyes. Some types of pink eye can spread very easily.

Some eye conditions and diseases do not always have symptoms. Early detection through a comprehensive dilated eye exam could help your eye care provider detect diseases in the early stages. Proper treatment could help slow or prevent vision loss.

Get regular eye exams and call your eye care professional right away if you notice any of these symptoms:

  • A sudden change in vision
  • Everything looks dim
  • Flashes of light
  • Eye pain
  • Double vision
  • Fluid coming from your eye
  • Inflammation (swelling)

Getting older increases your risk of some eye diseases. Other things that may put you at a higher risk of some eye diseases can include if you:

  • Are overweight or obese
  • Have a family history of eye disease
  • Are African American, Hispanic, or Native American
  • Have certain health conditions such as Diabetic eye problems, or high blood pressure

Treatment may depend on the eye condition or disease but can include:

  • A new prescription for eyeglasses or contacts
  • Use of bright lights or magnifying lenses for reading and other activities
  • Medicines
  • Prescription eye drops or ointments
  • Laser treatment
  • Surgery

Depending on your eye condition or disease, treatment may slow vision loss but may not restore vision. Talk to your provider about what treatment is best for you.

Your best defense is to have regular checkups. Be sure to tell your provider if any eye diseases run in your family.

You can also help take care of your vision by making lifestyle changes to lower your risk of health conditions that can cause vision problems. This could include by:

  • Protecting your eyes from the sun
  • Wearing protective eyewear while using tools or playing certain sports
  • Getting regular physical activity
  • Staying at a healthy weight
  • Quitting smoking (or not starting)
  • Eating a healthy diet

It sits within Eyes and Vision.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Eye Institute.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Eye Diseases

15,549 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Start Here

Symptoms

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

  • EnucleationAmerican Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Prevention and Risk Factors

Living With

Related Issues

Genetics

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Eye Diseases. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Eye Diseases, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.