Floaters are little “cobwebs” or specks that float about in your field of vision. They are small, dark, shadowy shapes that can look like spots, thread-like strands, or squiggly lines. Nearly everyone experiences floaters at some point in life....
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several causes for excessive (too much) tearing.
The lacrimal system is composed of glands that make tears and a drainage system that collects them. Excessive tearing (lacrimation) and defective drainage of tears (epiphora) are...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:25 am
A pterygium is a pinkish, triangular-shaped tissue growth on the cornea. Some pterygia grow slowly throughout a person’s life, while others stop growing after a certain point. A pterygium rarely grows so large that it begins to cover the pupil of...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:24 am
Herpes of the eye, or ocular herpes, is a recurrent viral infection that is caused by the herpes simplex virus and is the most common infectious cause of corneal blindness in the U.S. Previous studies show that once people develop ocular herpes,...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:22 am
Lattice dystrophy gets its name from an accumulation of amyloid deposits, or abnormal protein fibers, throughout the middle and anterior stroma. During an eye examination, the doctor sees these deposits in the stroma as clear, comma-shaped...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:20 am
Meesmann’s dystrophy is a non-progressive early childhood disorder of the cornea. Treatment is usually unnecessary.
Currently, the NEI does not have a factsheet on this condition.
For more information from other health sites, please...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:20 am
Keratoconus is a progressive thinning of the cornea. This condition is the most common corneal dystrophy in the U.S., affecting 1in every 2,000 Americans. It is more prevalent in teenagers and adults in their 20s. Keratoconus is when the middle...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:19 am
Iridocorneal Endothelial (ICE) syndrome has three main features: (1) visible changes in the iris, the colored part of the eye that regulates the amount of light entering the eye; (2) swelling of the cornea; and (3) the development of glaucoma, a...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:18 am
Herpes Zoster (Shingles) is an infection that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After an initial outbreak of chickenpox (often during childhood), the virus remains inactive within the nerve...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:17 am
The cornea is the eye�s outermost layer. It is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye.
For all of the NEI information on the cornea and corneal diseases, please visit the following webpage:
Facts About the...
Updated Date: 06/08/16 - 11:16 am