Abnormal eye movements impact a person's appearance and visual function. The eyes may oscillate side to side---a condition called "nystagmus." Alternatively, the motion may be restricted or jerky, or the eye may appear to be wandering. Many...
Abnormal eye pressure is also referred to as an increase in intraocular pressure or ocular hypertension. According to the International Glaucoma Association's Information Service, increased pressure in the eye multiplies a person's risk for...
Abnormal eye blinking, which some people also refer to as an eyelid twitch, often causes irritation and annoyance. Many believe others can see the eyelid spasm, but the movement is small and goes unnoticed by casual observers. Typically, the...
Blinking, a normal involuntary reflex, occurs, on average, 12 times per minute or 17,000 times a day, Professor Alan Hedge of Cornell University states. Sometimes children begin blinking so frequently it seems that they're blinking 17,000 times a...
Young children and infants can't tell parents about vision problems and, in most cases, when a child has an eye problem from birth, he may not know his eyesight could appear differently. Checkups with a pediatrician may not detect subtle eye...
Abnormal blood vessels in the eyes of children can cause serious, irreversible vision loss. Most abnormal vessels aren't visible from outside the eye, and small children can't explain that they can't see, so abnormal blood vessel growth can cause...
Coconut oil contains a high amount of saturated fat. Indeed, it has more than lard and even butter. Due to the high amount, consuming coconut oil can elevate your level of blood cholesterol and increase your risk for developing heart disease. It...
Cleft palate is a birth defect that occurs when, during embryonic development, the roof of the mouth---called the palate---does not close properly. Often, the upper lip is also clefted. In most cases, a cleft palate with or without cleft lip is...
Frontal lobe brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Both types of tumors can cause symptoms for a variety of reasons. Tumors can destroy brain cells, causing permanent brain damage and inflammation as well as placing pressure on tissues...
Getting the right amount of vitamin A is especially important during pregnancy, since vitamin A is used by the body for cell growth and differentiation. Vitamin A also plays a role in immune system function, growth, vision, reproduction and tissue...
During an eye examination, physicians may use anesthesia to examine or perform procedures on the specified area. According to MayoClinic.com, eye anesthesia, commonly in the form of eye drops, enables doctors to administer numbing agents to ease...
Brain tumors destroy brain cells or damage them through inflammation. They can put pressure on parts of the brain or within the skull. The disruption of brain signals affects areas throughout the body. Symptoms depend on the location, size or rate...
Eyes normally adjust well to changes in light by dilation or constriction of the pupil, which allows light to enter the eye. In some diseases, however, errors in development allow extra light to enter the eye or keep the eye from adapting to light...
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine organ that lies just below the Adam’s apple. It produces the hormones triiodothyronine, or T3, and thyroxine, or T4. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland regulate the synthesis and...
There are many genetically transmitted diseases. According to Elizabeth Corwin, PhD, author of "Handbook of Pathophysiology," approximately 4,500 diseases are due to single-gene disorders alone. Single-gene disorders are diseases which are a...
The word congenital comes from the Latin word "congenitus," meaning "born with." A congenital disease is a disease or disorder that a baby is born with. Most people think that the term only refers to diseases that are hereditary. That is not...
Obvious eye abnormalities that can be seen without the aid of special instruments are known as gross eye disorders. Some gross eye disorders appear serious but do not threaten vision. Other gross eye disorders can lead to permanent vision loss or...
The pituitary gland at the base of the brain produces TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, which promotes the production of hormones by the thyroid gland. A low TSH level typically indicates an overactive thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism....
Taking anticoagulant medications during pregnancy can be problematic, but it also might be necessary. Blood clots, which sometimes develop during pregnancy, require treatment with anticoagulants; women with artificial heart valves must take...
Thiamine is a water soluble, B-complex vitamin also known as vitamin B-1, which is essential in carbohydrate metabolism and neural function. Deficiency of thiamine results in nerve and heart disease 'Beriberi,' termed as dry, wet or cerebral...
Genes are the portion of DNA that determine traits such as eye color or height. Genetic disorders may run in families. A child may inherit a specific eye disease such as Stargardt's disease or a complex developmental disorder such as Turner's...
Niacin, also called nicotinic acid or B3, was one of the first medications used to treat people with abnormal lipid levels. It raises high-density lipoprotein levels, but also lowers high levels of low-density lipoprotein and high triglyceride...
Vision therapy is a type of physical therapy for the eyes and brain. It is considered by many to be an effective therapy for amblyopia or lazy eye, crossed eyes, double vision and convergence insufficiency. Vision therapy is sometimes used as an...
Droopy eyelids can interfere with vision as well as create cosmetic concerns. It is a normal symptom of aging, to some extent. However, according to Virginia E. Bishop, contributor to "Foundations of Low Vision," when eyelids occlude the pupil,...
A vaccine is a suspension of weakened disease-causing organisms that are given to a person to stimulate his immune system and thus protect him against the disease caused by the organism. Required vaccines for children entering school vary among...
Vision problems in babies can prove difficult to assess, since babies can't verbalize a loss or change in vision. Some eye conditions that affect babies are visually obvious. Other conditions are known risks of certain medical procedures, such as...
Certain eye issues, such as those that include the degeneration of the eye or an abnormal eye shape are conditions that require corrective lenses or surgery to correct. No amount of eye exercises can improve astigmatism or near and...
Eye cancer is a rare cancer that can affect the orbit (bony portion surrounding your eye), globe (eyeball) and its adnexal structures (eye tissues such as the eyelid). According to the American Cancer Society, eye cancers can appear at any age but...
Vertigo is often related to problems in the mechanics of the inner ear. Learn more about vertigo in this medical video.
