Eyes & Vision: Causes & Risks

Wolfram Syndrome

Diabetic Retinopathy - Cause

Diabetes damages small blood vessels throughout the body, leading to reduced blood flow. When these changes affect the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, diabetic retinopathy may develop.

Diabetic Retinopathy - What Increases Your Risk

Your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy depends largely on two factors: how long you have had diabetes and whether or not you have kept good control of your blood sugar.

Nearsightedness (Myopia) - Cause

Most nearsightedness (myopia) is caused by a natural change in the shape of the eyeball that makes it egg-shaped rather than round. This causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on the retina. Ne

Nearsightedness (Myopia) - What Increases Your Risk

Asians and people who have a family history of nearsightedness are at increased risk for nearsightedness. Women have a greater risk for high myopia, or severe nearsightedness, than men do.

Glaucoma - Cause

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause blindness by damaging the nerve cells located in the back of the eye (the optic nerve). In many cases this damage to the optic nerve is thought to be caused in part by increased press

Glaucoma - What Increases Your Risk

Factors that increase your risk for glaucoma vary according to the different types of glaucoma.