Demystifying Eye Conditions: Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Other Concerns Explained Simply

The human eye is an extraordinary piece of engineering, and like any complex system, various things can go wrong with it. Over the years, we’ve noticed that patients often feel overwhelmed by medical terminology and struggle to understand what’s actually happening with their eyes. So, let’s break down some of the more common conditions we see, in plain English that actually makes sense.

Macular Degeneration: When Central Vision Fades

Imagine looking at someone’s face but not being able to see their features clearly, just the fuzzy outline. Or trying to read but finding that the words you’re looking directly at are blurred or distorted, while everything around them looks fine. That’s what macular degeneration feels like.

The macula is a tiny area right in the centre of your retina. Despite being only about 5mm across, it’s responsible for your sharp, detailed central vision, the vision you use for reading, recognising faces, and any task requiring fine detail.

As we age, this area can deteriorate. There are two types: dry and wet.

Dry macular degeneration is the more common form. It progresses slowly as the cells in the macula gradually break down. Think of it like paint fading over many years. Most people with dry macular degeneration don’t lose all their vision; their peripheral vision remains intact, so they can still navigate safely. But detailed tasks become increasingly difficult.

Wet macular degeneration is less common but more serious. Abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak fluid or blood, quickly damaging the macula. This type can cause rapid vision loss and needs urgent treatment.

We can’t cure macular degeneration, but we have treatments that slow progression. For wet macular degeneration, injections into the eye can stop those abnormal blood vessels and often improve vision. We know that sounds confronting, but these injections have revolutionised treatment. Many patients maintain good vision with regular injections.

For dry macular degeneration, specific high-dose vitamin supplements may slow progression in some people. We also monitor carefully for any conversion to the wet form, which needs immediate treatment.

Diabetic Retinopathy: The Price of High Blood Sugar

If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk. High blood sugar levels damage blood vessels throughout your body, including the tiny, delicate vessels in your retina.

Initially, this damage is mild, with some small haemorrhages or leaks that don’t affect vision much. That’s why regular screening is so important. You can have significant diabetic retinopathy without noticing any symptoms.

As it progresses, more serious problems develop. New, abnormal blood vessels might grow (this is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy). These vessels are fragile and can bleed into the eye, causing sudden vision loss. Fluid can accumulate in the macula, blurring central vision.

The frustrating thing about diabetic retinopathy is that it’s largely preventable. Good blood sugar control dramatically reduces your risk. If you already have some retinopathy, better control can slow or stop progression.

When treatment is needed, we have several effective options. Laser treatment can seal leaking vessels or prevent new abnormal vessels from growing. Injections can reduce swelling and improve vision. In more advanced cases, surgery might be necessary.

The key message for anyone with diabetes: regular eye examinations aren’t optional. Even if your vision seems perfect, please come in for your scheduled checks. Early diabetic retinopathy is treatable, and we can prevent vision loss, but only if we catch it in time.

Retinal Detachment: A True Emergency

Your retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye. Think of it as the film in an old camera, or the sensor in a digital one. When it detaches from the wall of the eye, it can’t function properly, and you lose vision in the affected area.

Warning signs include sudden flashes of light, a shower of new floaters, or a shadow or curtain coming across your vision. These symptoms require urgent attention, not next week, not tomorrow, today.

Retinal detachment can happen to anyone, but it’s more common in people who are very short-sighted, have had eye trauma, or have certain other risk factors. Sometimes it occurs after cataract surgery, though this is uncommon.

Treatment is surgical and usually successful if performed promptly. Various techniques exist, depending on the type and location of the detachment. The key is timing; delays reduce the chances of good visual recovery.

Floaters and Flashes: Usually Harmless, Sometimes Not

Most adults experience floaters, those little specks, cobwebs, or strings that drift across your vision, especially noticeable against bright backgrounds. They’re caused by tiny clumps in the jelly-like substance (vitreous) that fills your eye.

Floaters are usually harmless, just a nuisance. As we age, the vitreous becomes more liquefied and develops these clumps. Annoying, yes. Dangerous, usually no.

However, a sudden increase in floaters, especially with flashes of light, needs urgent checking. It could signal a retinal tear or detachment. Long-standing floaters that you’ve had for years aren’t concerning, but new ones definitely are.

Flashes of light, like someone’s taking flash photographs in your peripheral vision, occur when something tugs on your retina. As the vitreous liquefies with age, it can pull away from the retina, creating these flashes. Usually, everything settles down fine. But sometimes this tugging causes a retinal tear, which can lead to detachment.

If you’re seeing new flashes or floaters, get checked within a day or two. It’s probably nothing serious, but we need to make sure.

Dry Eye Disease: More Than Just Irritation

Your eyes need a healthy tear film to stay comfortable and function properly. When this system doesn’t work well, you get dry eye disease. Symptoms include grittiness, burning, redness, and paradoxically, watery eyes (your eyes over-produce tears trying to compensate, but these reflex tears don’t actually relieve the dryness properly).

Dry eyes can result from various causes: age, medications, environmental factors, or underlying conditions. Here in Brisbane, our air-conditioning and outdoor glare probably don’t help much either.

Treatment ranges from simple lubricating drops to prescription medications, and in some cases, procedures to help your eyes retain moisture better. Many patients find significant relief once we identify and address the underlying cause.

Blepharitis: The Eyelid Problem You’ve Never Heard Of

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, and it’s incredibly common. Your eyelids might look red or crusty, especially in the morning. Your eyes feel gritty or irritated, and you might notice flakes around your lashes.

It’s caused by a combination of things: bacteria on the skin, blocked oil glands in the eyelids, or sometimes skin conditions like rosacea. The oil glands along your eyelid margins produce oils that mix with your tears. When these glands don’t work properly, your tear film becomes unstable.

Blepharitis tends to be chronic; it doesn’t go away completely, but it’s very manageable with proper eyelid hygiene. Warm compresses, gentle lid scrubs, and sometimes medications keep it under control. It sounds simple, but consistent daily lid care makes a huge difference.

Conjunctivitis: Not Just “Pink Eye”

Most people know conjunctivitis as pink eye, that contagious infection kids pass around. And yes, that’s one type. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis cause redness, discharge, and discomfort.

But conjunctivitis just means inflammation of the conjunctiva (the clear membrane covering the white of your eye). It can also result from allergies, irritants, or dry eyes. The treatment depends entirely on the cause.

Viral conjunctivitis usually resolves on its own within a week or two. Bacterial conjunctivitis responds to antibiotic drops. Allergic conjunctivitis needs antihistamine drops. That’s why “my eyes are red and gunky” requires proper assessment, not just buying whatever drops you find at the pharmacy.

Pterygium: That Fleshy Growth on Your Eye

Living in sunny Queensland, we see a lot of pterygia (the plural of pterygium). It’s a fleshy, triangular growth that extends from the white of your eye onto the cornea. They’re related to UV exposure, which explains why they’re so common in Australia.

Small pterygia often don’t cause problems beyond cosmetic concerns and occasional irritation. Larger ones can affect vision, cause persistent discomfort, or distort the shape of your cornea.

We can remove them surgically if needed, though they sometimes grow back. Prevention is better; wear good sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat outdoors. Sun protection isn’t just about skin cancer; it’s about eye health too.

Corneal Problems: When the Window Gets Scratched

Your cornea is the clear front surface of your eye. It’s remarkably tough, but it can be scratched (abraded), infected, or damaged in various ways.

Corneal abrasions hurt a lot. You’ll know if you’ve scratched your cornea. It feels like something’s stuck in your eye, you can’t stand light, and it waters constantly. Most heal quickly with antibiotic drops to prevent infection.

Corneal infections are more serious. They can scar the cornea and affect vision permanently if not treated aggressively. Contact lens wearers are at higher risk, especially if they don’t follow proper hygiene or wear lenses overnight.

Other corneal conditions like keratoconus (where the cornea becomes cone-shaped) or Fuchs’ dystrophy (where the corneal cells stop working properly) require specialist management. Some eventually need corneal transplants.

Eyelid Problems Beyond Blepharitis

Eyelids can develop various issues. Styes and chalazia are blocked glands that cause lumps on the lid, which are uncomfortable but usually not serious. Warm compresses often help, though sometimes we need to drain them.

Droopy eyelids (ptosis) can be congenital or develop with age as the muscle that lifts your lid weakens. If they droop enough to affect vision, surgical correction is possible.

Eyelid malpositions, where lids turn inward (entropion) or outward (ectropion), cause irritation and need fixing to protect the eye surface.

And of course, eyelids can develop skin cancers. Any new, persistent, or changing lump on your eyelid should be checked. Early detection and removal are most likely to yield the best results.

Optic Nerve Problems

We’ve talked about glaucoma already, but other things can affect your optic nerve. Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve) causes pain with eye movement and vision loss, often in younger people. It’s sometimes associated with multiple sclerosis.

Poor blood flow to the optic nerve can cause sudden, painless vision loss. This is more common in older people with cardiovascular risk factors. Any sudden vision loss requires urgent evaluation to determine the cause and, if possible, start treatment.

A Word About “Computer Vision Syndrome”

Patients often ask if screens are damaging their eyes. The short answer: no, screens don’t cause permanent damage. But prolonged screen use can cause temporary discomfort, tired, dry, strained eyes, headaches, and difficulty focusing.

This happens because we blink less when staring at screens, and we hold our eyes in one position for extended periods. The 20-20-20 rule helps: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Blink deliberately. Position your screen properly. Use lubricating drops if needed.

Your eyes might feel tired, but you’re not damaging them. That said, if screen use is genuinely difficult or painful, there might be an underlying problem worth investigating.

When to Worry vs. When to Relax

With all these conditions floating around, it’s easy to become anxious about every little eye symptom. So here’s a general guide:

Urgent: See someone today or tomorrow: sudden vision loss, flashes and new floaters, severe pain, significant trauma, chemical exposure, or symptoms of retinal detachment.

Soon: See someone within a week or two: persistent redness or irritation, gradual vision changes, difficulty with night vision, or anything that’s bothering you enough that you’re constantly thinking about it.

Routine: Book in when convenient: general check-ups, prescription updates, or minor issues that aren’t affecting your life much.

Don’t worry: The occasional floater you’ve had for years, mild tiredness after a long day of screen work, or minor variations in vision that resolve quickly.

The Bottom Line

The eye is complex, and many things can go wrong. But we have excellent diagnostic tools and effective treatments for most conditions. The key is catching problems early, which means regular check-ups, especially as you get older or if you have risk factors like diabetes or a family history of eye disease.

At Visionare Eye Specialists, we’re here to help you understand what’s happening with your eyes and work out the best way forward. No question is too simple, no concern too minor to discuss. Your eyes are precious, and ensuring you understand your eye health is part of properly caring for them.

If something in this article resonated with you, if you recognised symptoms you’ve been experiencing, don’t put off getting it checked. Most eye problems are far more manageable when addressed early. And even if it turns out to be nothing serious, peace of mind is worth the visit.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your specific condition. Information current as of October 2025.