Many eye conditions lead to pain, irritation or vision loss, though other eye disorders require little or no treatment. People with these mild eye disorders should discuss the condition with an eye care professional in order to ensure a person does not have a more serious eye disorder. Doctors will determine the presence of most eye disorders, whether mild or serious, during a routine eye exam.
Refractive Errors
One mild eye disorder is a refractive error. Refractive errors occur when a person requires an eyeglass prescription to redirect light entering the eye, which improves vision. An eye that does not require eyeglass correction for perfect vision has a completely round shape, but if the eye is a bit shorter or longer, this causes nearsightedness or farsightedness, says The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In addition to the shape of the eye itself, if the cornea, the front window of the eyeball, has a football-shaped curve instead of a round curve, the doctor will diagnose astigmatism. Astigmatism simply means that a person needs extra correction for vision. Refractive errors, including astigmatism, do not indicate disease or serious eye conditions.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Occasionally a person may have a red area appear on the white of his eye. This typically occurs when a blood vessel on the eye's surface breaks, a mild eye condition called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. The burst vessel may result from coughing or sneezing, though, for some people, the hemorrhage may occur without any known cause. Subconjunctival hemorrhages do not usually cause pain or changes in vision, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Doctors do not treat subconjunctival hemorrhages with eye drops or medications, but they let the eye heal naturally. However, if the hemorrhage bulges or affects the iris, the person should seek immediate medical attention since this could indicate a serious, vision-threatening condition. For most people, the red spot will gradually disappear over a matter of weeks, much like a bruise on the skin.
Vitreous Floaters
In order for the eye to maintain its shape, the back of the eye contains a substance called vitreous, which has the consistency of jelly. As the vitreous ages, it may shrink and form "strands that can cast tiny shadows on the retina," says the National Eye Institute. These shadows seem to float through vision, often mistaken for tiny bugs. Many people have floaters that come and go, and, in most cases, the floaters do not cause problems, unless a large floater causes a significant obstruction to vision. In such cases, an eye specialist may recommend a vitrectomy, a procedure to remove the aged vitreous and replace it with a clear substance of a similar consistency. As well, floaters may indicate a serious condition, and if a person has a sudden increase in floaters, or if she sees a black "curtain" covering one part of her vision, she should see an eye care professional immediately since this could be a sign of a retinal detachment.
