Common eye health questions answered by experts in Haywards Heath

Your eye is very similar to a traditional camera. It has a lens at the front which allows images to focus on a film at the back of the eye. The film is made of living tissue and is called the retina. Images from the retina are collected and sent to the brain through the optic nerve. The space inside the eyeball is not empty, rather it is filled with a transparent gel called the vitreous.

A cataract occurs when the lens in your eye becomes cloudy. This generally takes place with age, but other issues may determine it prematurely. A cloudy lens will result in poor vision. Cataract surgery aims at restoring proper vision by removing the old lens and replacing it with an artificial one which is tailored specifically to your eye.

Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure within your eye is abnormally high. If left untreated this condition will result in severe sight impairment. There is a variety of treatment options available ranging from medication to laser treatment before surgery is considered.

The central part of the retina is called the macula. This is where images have the highest definition. The macula is therefore what allows us to do the things we like most like reading, watching television, driving etc. When the macula is damaged, we say a maculopathy is present. One of the more common of these is ARMD which stands for Age Related Macular Degeneration. ARMD (or AMD for short) in turn can be divided into a dry form and a wet one. The latter can be treated with special drugs injected into the eye which generally allow visual quality to be maintained over a prolonged period of time.

A macular epiretinal membrane (ERM) results from scar tissue forming over the macula (see above for definition of macula). This results in image distortion and, ultimately, in deteriorating visual acuity. The condition is sometimes also called "macular pucker". It is treated with a surgical procedure called vitrectomy.

A macular hole occurs when tissue is lost from the central part of the macula (see above for definition of macula). We can think of this as a hole being punched through a projection screen. The resulting distortion in images and the loss of visual clarity is easily understandable. The condition is treated with a surgical procedure called vitrectomy.

When the gel inside the eye peels off from the retina on which it rests a PVD or posterior vitreous detachment occurs. Common symptoms are represented by floaters with or without some flashing lights. PVD occasionally may result in the formation of retinal tears which have to be treated promptly to avoid more serious consequences such as retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment is a condition in which the retina peels off the back of the eye. When this happens, visual function is rapidly and irreparably lost unless prompt intervention takes place. There is a variety of techniques aimed at reattaching the retina and your surgeon will talk you through them and opt for the one most appropriate for your specific condition.