A degenerative eye disease is a collective term for a disease that affects the various parts of the eye, including the retina, cornea, iris and macula. The common prognosis is a progressive loss of central vision. The diseases of the eye can be classified as inherited, associated with another medical condition, caused by a virus and cancer. Common and disease-specific symptoms are associated with each eye malady.
Inherited and Viral Degenerative Eye Diseases
Stargardt's disease is an inherited disease that affects children and young adults. Blurry or distorted vision, the inability to see clearly in a well lit setting, difficulty recognizing familiar faces and the loss of the ability to see colors are the presenting symptoms of this disease.
Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare inherited eye disease. This disease is a slow and progressive degeneration of the retina. Early symptoms include poor night vision and a narrowing of the field of vision. As the disease progresses, central vision is diminished, and peripheral vision is minimized.
The type 1 herpes simplex virus is the cause of stomal keratitis, which is an infection of the layers of the cornea, and iridocyclitis, which is an inflammation of the iris and the surrounding tissue. The common symptoms are inflammation of the cornea, sudden or severe eye pain and blurry vision.
Degenerative Eye Diseases Associated with Other Medical Conditions
Cytomegalovirus retinitis is associated with AIDS and is a viral inflammation of the retina. The symptoms usually begin in one eye and eventually affect both eyes. Symptoms include seeing floaters, which are described as small floating spots in the field of vision, blurry vision, decreased peripheral vision and seeing flashes of light. A sudden loss of vision can occur. Pain is not a symptom.
Diabetic patients are at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, which is characterized by seeing floaters, compromised near-sighted vision and double vision. This degenerative condition is the result of damage to the blood vessels of the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Ocular Melanoma
Glaucoma is caused by a dangerous increase of internal eye pressure, which results in damage to the optic nerve. Primary open-angle glaucoma is associated with a gradual loss of peripheral vision in both eyes and tunnel vision. The symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma are a sudden occurrence of blurry vision, seeing halos around lights, nausea, vomiting and intense eye pain.
Macular degeneration is the degeneration of the macula, which is part of the retina. Symptoms are an increased difficulty adapting to low light settings, a need for increasingly bright light for activities requiring near-sighted vision and a gradual increase in blurry overall vision.
Ocular melanoma is a rare cancer of the eye. It can be lethal if the cancer spreads to other vital organs, most commonly the liver. Eye tumors can develop on the eyelids, conjunctiva, which is the thin, transparent tissue that covers the outer surface of the eye, iris, choroidal layer, which is a highly vascular layer located under the retina, and the optic nerve. Commonly diagnosed during a routine eye exam, ocular melanoma can present with blurry vision in one eye, seeing floaters and a loss of peripheral vision. Additional symptoms are a change in iris color or dark spots on the iris, a red or painful eye and a bulging of the eye.
