Here you will find information on the most common eye conditions which can help you understand your diagnosis and treatment options.
AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration)
AMD is a condition that can affect your eyes as you get older. In fact, in the over 50s, AMD is the leading cause of sight loss in Ireland. AMD causes a loss of vision in the centre of the eye. Reading, writing and up-close work can become difficult. Most people have enough side vision to enable them to move around.
- Read an information booklet on AMD entitled Foresight: AMD [PDF, 917KB] / Foresight: AMD [Word, 194KB].
- Download NCBI’s app “AMD Aware” to see for yourself the effect it has on vision. The app is available free of charge to download from the Apple app store by simply searching for “AMD Aware”.
Cataract
Cataracts can make things look blurred and misty; some people may have double vision. Colours may become dulled and the person may have difficulty seeing detail. People with cataracts can be very sensitive to bright light and glare, and a ‘halo’ may appear around lights, while too little light can make it difficult to see.
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy causes a patchy loss of vision. A person with this condition may have difficulty with up-close reading.
- Read an information booklet called Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy [PDF, 504KB] / Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy [Word, 22.5KB].
Glaucoma
A person with glaucoma may experience loss of side vision and moving around can be difficult. There may be a central area where the person can still see enough to read and do up-close work.
- Read an information booklet on glaucoma entitled Understanding Glaucoma [PDF, 272KB].
More information
If you or someone you know is experiencing sight problems or you would like information on any aspect of sight loss, why not talk to a local NCBI support worker, who can give you advice and information as well as emotional and practical support. Or you could make a online referral.