Eye diseases are diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam that can determine not only what type of disease is present, but can also help identify the cause or risk factors that contributed to the condition. Even when no symptoms are present, having a regular eye exam is important for diagnosing diseases like glaucoma that cause few if any symptoms in the early stages.

Dry eye is a chronic condition that occurs when tear production is insufficient or the quality of tears is poor. In either case, the eye doesn’t receive the lubrication it needs to feel comfortable and stay healthy.

The primary causes and risk factors include:

• medications including antihistamines, antidepressants and blood pressure medications

• medical conditions including thyroid diseases, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic inflammation of the eyes and eyelids

• refractive eye surgery

• older age

• female gender

Most people 65 years of age and older experience some symptoms of dry eye.

A retinal detachment is a medical emergency that occurs when the retina begins to peel away from the eye and the blood vessels that nourish it. It can be caused by injury, diabetes, inflammatory eye disease and a loss of the gel-like material inside the eye. The condition causes no pain, but it can cause telltale symptoms such as:

• sudden increase in floaters, the tiny debris that “float” across your field of vision

• sudden flashes of light

• a “curtain” or shadow over a portion of the visual field that grows larger as the retina continues to detach

A leading cause of blindness in the U.S., diabetic retinopathy occurs when blood vessels in the eye begin to leak or when new vessels form, interfering with normal vision.