Patient information for Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Evidence-informed information to help you recognise concerns and prepare for an eye examination.
Sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, chemical injury, new flashes and floaters, or a curtain-like shadow over vision require urgent medical assessment.
A cataract is clouding of the eye’s natural lens. It commonly causes blurry or hazy vision, faded colours, glare, halos and difficulty seeing at night.
A dilated eye examination confirms the diagnosis. Surgery is considered when cataract interferes with daily activities; not every cataract needs immediate surgery.
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve. Many forms develop without early symptoms, so vision may be lost before a person notices a problem.
Risk-based comprehensive eye examinations, eye-pressure measurement and optic-nerve assessment help detect glaucoma. Treatment may include drops, laser or surgery.
Diabetes can damage retinal blood vessels. Early disease may have no symptoms; later changes can cause blurring, floaters and serious vision loss.
People with diabetes need regular dilated retinal examinations. Good diabetes and blood-pressure control, laser, injections or surgery may be advised depending on findings.
Dry eye occurs when tears do not adequately lubricate the eye. Symptoms may include burning, grittiness, fluctuating blur, redness or watering.
Assessment looks for the cause and severity. Management may include environmental changes, lubricants, lid care and prescription treatment when appropriate.
Keratoconus is progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea that can cause irregular astigmatism, distorted vision and frequent prescription changes.
Corneal mapping helps diagnosis and monitoring. Glasses, contact lenses and corneal cross-linking may be considered; advanced cases need specialist surgical advice.
AMD affects the macula, the central part of the retina used for reading and recognising faces. It can cause central blurring, distortion or a blank patch.
Prompt assessment is important when straight lines appear wavy or central vision changes suddenly. Monitoring, injections or other care depend on the type of AMD.
A retinal detachment may present with a sudden increase in floaters, flashing lights or a curtain/shadow over vision.
This is an eye emergency. Seek urgent ophthalmic assessment immediately; timely laser or surgery may be required to protect vision.
Myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism cause blurred vision when the eye does not focus light accurately. Presbyopia affects near focusing with age.
A refraction measures the required correction. Glasses, contact lenses and selected surgical options may improve vision after professional assessment.
Itching, redness, watering and eyelid swelling can occur with eye allergy. Rubbing may worsen symptoms and is particularly discouraged in people at risk of keratoconus.
An eye examination helps distinguish allergy from infection, dry eye and other causes of a red eye. Treatment depends on the diagnosis and may include avoidance measures, cold compresses or prescribed drops.
A squint occurs when the eyes do not align together. In children it may be associated with refractive error or amblyopia and should not be ignored while waiting for a child to grow older.
Assessment may include visual-acuity testing, refraction after dilating drops, eye-alignment measurements and examination of eye health. Glasses, patching or surgery may be advised depending on the cause.
Small moving spots can be common, but a sudden shower of floaters, flashing lights or a curtain-like shadow can indicate a retinal tear or detachment.
New or sudden symptoms require urgent dilated retinal assessment—especially after trauma, eye surgery, high myopia or when a shadow appears in the field of vision.
This information is for education only and is not a diagnosis or substitute for medical advice. Treatment decisions depend on an individual examination by a qualified healthcare professional.
