Eye Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

When hundreds of tiny black dots and webs suddenly flooded my field of vision, I was both alarmed and perplexed. A trip to the eye doctor offered reassurance that my vision was not seriously threatened. But I had done the right thing by having my eyes checked immediately.

I had experienced a vitreous detachment, which occurs when the gel-like substance in the eye (vitreous) suddenly pulls away from the inner back lining of the eye (retina). The condition alone isn't considered serious, but it could have led to a retinal detachment. And that is serious, because permanent vision loss could have resulted.

Other vision symptoms you should never ignore:

This, too, could be a retinal detachment. Immediately visit the emergency room or your ophthalmologist.

Loss of side (peripheral) vision. This vision defect can develop slowly, even over a period of years, and may indicate damage to your optic nerve from diseases such as glaucoma or optic atrophy. Schedule regular visits to your eye doctor to make sure your eye is examined under lighting where your optic nerve can be observed and assessed.

Loss of straight-ahead (central) vision. This condition, too, can develop over many years from a very common and serious disease among older individuals called age-related macular degeneration. This disease occurs with abnormal growth of blood vessels on a portion of the inner back of your eye (retina) where the macula is located. Scarring and permanent vision loss can result. Again, report symptoms as soon as possible so that efforts can be made to preserve remaining vision.

Persistent eye redness and irritation. Many conditions can be responsible for these symptoms, ranging from allergies to far more serious infections that particularly can affect those who wear contact lenses. Untreated eye infections may result in permanent vision loss. When in doubt, see your eye doctor.

Abrupt onset of vision defects. Some vision symptoms, especially when they occur suddenly, may signal an emergency. Symptoms may include blurred vision, light sensitivity, unexplained loss of visual clarity, and sudden inability to perceive colors and/or contrast. Some vision disturbances may also be related to an underlying health problem not directly related to the eye. As always, see your eye doctor.

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