Nearsightedness (myopia)
The medical term for nearsightedness is myopia People with myopia see close objects clearly while distant objects appear blurry. The cornea is too steep relative to the distance to the back of the eye and light rays are focused in front of the retina.

Farsightedness (hyperopia)
With farsightedness (hyperopia) an image is focused behind the retina rather than directly on the retina. Farsighted people can see distant objects clearly while objects that are close appear blurry.

Presbyopia
An inevitable part of aging, presbyopia is the loss of the ability to focus up close. Over time the closest point at which the eye can focus moves farther and farther away, hence making it difficult to read.

Astigmatism
In astigmatism, the cornea is shaped much like a football (instead of evenly rounded like a basketball) causing an image to seem partly in focus and partly out of focus.

Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. (In the normal eye the lens focuses light rays on the retina at the back of the eye to produce a sharp image of what we see) When the lens becomes cloudy, the light rays cannot pass easily through it and the image becomes blurry.

Diabetic Retinopathy
This is a disease of the eye caused by the constriction or loss of capillaries (small blood vessels) that "feed" the retina. If you have any form of diabetes, you should have a yearly examination by your ophthalmologist. Untreated Diabetic Retinopathy can result in the loss of vision or even blindness. Anyone with a severe diabetic condition is usually NOT a good candidate for refractive eye surgery. For more information on diabetic retinopathy visit: http://www.aao.org/aao/news/release/030101.cfm

Allergic Conjunctivitis
Usually characterized by mild redness, itchiness and swelling of the conjunctiva along with excess tearing often happening in both eyes at once. Most people with this condition have some allergy-related condition such as asthma, hay fever or hives just to name a few.