The eye is an intricate organ that can be damaged by a number of different types of disease processes. Infections of the eye, genetic disorders and diseases of the organ systems that support its function, such as the cardiovascular or central nervous systems, can all contribute to eye disease. Eye problems such as pink eye, glaucoma, or cataracts are common, but numerous lesser-known diseases of the eye also exist.
Best's Disease
The American Foundation for the Blind describes Best’s disease as rare genetic disorder, in which cells that are essential for central vision degenerate slowly, over several decades. Best’s disease is sometimes called vitelliform macular dystrophy.
The disease is detectable in patients as young as 3 years old, but its effects on vision may not manifest until an individual is in her forties. Either one or both eyes may be affected. The condition causes yellow lesions around the retina, called egg-yolk lesions. These lesions become absorbed into the eye and eventually sight is affected. Vision loss can be severe in some cases. There is no effective treatment currently available, though research is ongoing.
Eale’s Disease
All of the body’s organs depend on adequate blood supply in order to function properly, and the eyes are no exception. Inflammation of the blood vessels to the eye is a key finding in cases of Eale’s disease. Patients with Eale’s disease report having blurred eyesight, with specks or “floaters” disrupting their vision.
This eye disease mainly affects the veins, according to Dr. John H, Stone, director of clinical rheumatology at Massachusetts General Hospital. The cause of Eale’s disease is unknown, but it is thought to be related to other conditions, such as tuberculosis. Eale’s disease is rare in North America. It has more of an impact in populations in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where it affects mainly men in their 20s and 30s.
Mycotic Lacrimal Canaliculitis
The overuse of antibiotics can have negative consequences in the human body, such as allowing fungi to proliferate in certain areas due to the ability of antibiotics to kill off the natural flora which normally occupy those spaces. According to Radoslaw Rózyck, an ophthalmology researcher at the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw, the overuse of antibiotics and steroids in the treatment of eye diseases puts patients at risk for a rare disease called mycotic lacrimal canaliculitis. This disease is caused by a fungus that invades the eye and colonizes within its ducts. Mycotic lacrimal canaliculitis can cause itching, burning and redness of the eye. The infection can continue for extended periods due to lack of proper diagnosis and treatment.
