Episcleritis is a common disease, and its exact prevalence and incidence are unknown. It typically affects young adults, and may be more common in women.

Episcleritis is a benign, self-limiting condition, meaning patients recover without any treatment. Most cases of episcleritis resolve within 7–10 days. The nodular type is more aggressive and takes longer to resolve. Although rare, some cases may progress to scleritis. However, in general, episcleritis does not cause complications in the eye. Smoking tobacco delays the response to treatment in patients with episcleritis.

Scleritis is not a common disease, although the exact prevalence and incidence are unknown. It is somewhat more common in women, and is most common in the fourth to sixth decades of life.

Most of the time, scleritis is not caused by an infectious agent. Histopathological changes are that of a chronic granulomatous disorder, characterized by fibrinoid necrosis, infiltration by polymorphonuclear cells, lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages. The granuloma is surrounded by multinucleated epitheloid giant cells and new vessels, some of which may show evidence of vasculitis.

The vitreous (Latin for "glassy") humor is a gel which fills the eye behind the lens. Between it and the retina is the vitreous membrane. With age the vitreous humor changes, shrinking and developing pockets of liquefaction, similar to the way a gelatin dessert shrinks and detaches from the edge of a pan. At some stage the vitreous membrane may peel away from the retina. This is usually a sudden event, but it may also occur slowly over months.

Age and refractive error play a role in determining the onset of PVD in a healthy person. PVD is rare in emmetropic people under the age of 40 years, and increases with age to 86% in the 90s. Several studies have found a broad range of incidence of PVD, from 20% of autopsy cases to 57% in a more elderly population of patients (average age was 83.4 years).

People with myopia (nearsightedness) greater than 6 diopters are at higher risk of PVD at all ages.

Posterior vitreous detachment does not directly threaten vision. Even so, it is of increasing interest because the interaction between the vitreous body and the retina might play a decisive role in the development of major pathologic vitreoretinal conditions, such as epiretinal membrane.

PVD may also occur in cases of cataract surgery, within weeks or months of the surgery.

The vitreous membrane is more firmly attached to the retina anteriorly, at a structure called the vitreous base. The membrane does not normally detach from the vitreous base, although it can be detached with extreme trauma. However, the vitreous base may have an irregular posterior edge. When the edge is irregular, the forces of the vitreous membrane peeling off the retina can become concentrated at small posterior extensions of the vitreous base. Similarly, in some people with retinal lesions such as lattice retinal degeneration or chorio-retinal scars, the vitreous membrane may be abnormally adherent to the retina. If enough traction occurs the retina may tear at these points. If there are only small point tears, these can allow glial cells to enter the vitreous humor and proliferate to create a thin epiretinal membrane that distorts vision. In more severe cases, vitreous fluid may seep under the tear, separating the retina from the back of the eye, creating a retinal detachment. Trauma can be any form from a blunt force trauma to the face such as a boxer's punch or even in some cases has been known to be from extremely vigorous coughing or blowing of the nose.

Perioperative PION patients have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors than in the general population. Documented cardiovascular risks in people affected by perioperative PION include high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, tobacco use, abnormal heart rhythms, stroke, and obesity. Men are also noted to be at higher risk, which is in accordance with the trend, as men are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. These cardiovascular risks all interfere with adequate blood flow, and also may suggest a contributory role of defective vascular autoregulation.

A posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is a condition of the eye in which the vitreous membrane separates from the retina.

It refers to the separation of the posterior hyaloid membrane from the retina anywhere posterior to the vitreous base (a 3–4 mm wide attachment to the ora serrata).

The condition is common for older adults; over 75% of those over the age of 65 develop it. Although less common among people in their 40s or 50s, the condition is not rare for those individuals. Some research has found that the condition is more common among women.

As the name implies, it is the bulge of weak sclera lined by ciliary body, which occurs about 2–3 mm away from the limbus. Its common causes are thinning of sclera following perforating injury, scleritis & absolute glaucoma.

it is part of anterior staphyloma

As illustrated by the risk factors above, perioperative hypoxia is a multifactorial problem. Amidst these risk factors it may be difficult to pinpoint the optic nerve’s threshold for cell death, and the exact contribution of each factor.

Low blood pressure and anemia are cited as perioperative complications in nearly all reports of PION, which suggests a causal relationship. However, while low blood pressure and anemia are relatively common in the perioperative setting, PION is exceedingly rare. Spine and cardiac bypass surgeries have the highest estimated incidences of PION, 0.028% and 0.018% respectively, and this is still extremely low. This evidence suggests that optic nerve injury in PION patients is caused by more than just anemia and low blood pressure.

Evidence suggests that the multifactorial origin of perioperative PION involves the risks discussed above and perhaps other unknown factors. Current review articles of PION propose that vascular autoregulatory dysfunction and anatomic variation are under-investigated subjects that may contribute to patient-specific susceptibility.

It is the name given to the localised bulge in limbal area, lined by the root of the iris. It results due to ectasia of weak scar tissue formed at the limbus, following healing of a perforating injury or a peripheral corneal ulcer. There may be associated secondary angle closure glaucoma, may cause progression of the bulge if not treated. Defective vision occurs due to marked corneal astigmatism. Treatment consists of localised staphylectomy under heavy doses of oral steroids.

Of the many causes, conjunctivitis is the most common. Others include:

"Usually nonurgent"

- blepharitis - a usually chronic inflammation of the eyelids with scaling, sometimes resolving spontaneously

- subconjunctival hemorrhage - a sometimes dramatic, but usually harmless, bleeding underneath the conjunctiva most often from spontaneous rupture of the small, fragile blood vessels, commonly from a cough or sneeze

- inflamed pterygium - a benign, triangular, horizontal growth of the conjunctiva, arising from the inner side, at the level of contact of the upper and lower eyelids, associated with exposure to sunlight, low humidity and dust. It may be more common in occupations such as farming and welding.

- inflamed pinguecula - a yellow-white deposit close to the junction between the cornea and sclera, on the conjunctiva. It is most prevalent in tropical climates with much UV exposure. Although harmless, it can occasionally become inflamed.

- dry eye syndrome - caused by either decreased tear production or increased tear film evaporation which may lead to irritation and redness

- airborne contaminants or irritants

- tiredness

- drug use including cannabis

"Usually urgent"

- acute angle closure glaucoma - implies injury to the optic nerve with the potential for irreversible vision loss which may be permanent unless treated quickly, as a result of increased pressure within the eyeball. Not all forms of glaucoma are acute, and not all are associated with increased 'intra-ocular' pressure.

- injury

- keratitis - a potentially serious inflammation or injury to the cornea (window), often associated with significant pain, light intolerance, and deterioration in vision. Numerous causes include virus infection. Injury from contact lenses can lead to keratitis.

- iritis - together with the ciliary body and choroid, the iris makes up the uvea, part of the middle, pigmented, structures of the eye. Inflammation of this layer (uveitis) requires urgent control and is estimated to be responsible for 10% of blindness in the United States.

- scleritis - a serious inflammatory condition, often painful, that can result in permanent vision loss, and without an identifiable cause in half of those presenting with it. About 30-40% have an underlying systemic autoimmune condition.

- episcleritis - most often a mild, inflammatory disorder of the 'white' of the eye unassociated with eye complications in contrast to scleritis, and responding to topical medications such as anti-inflammatory drops.

- tick borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever - the eye is not primarily involved, but the presence of conjunctivitis, along with fever and rash, may help with the diagnosis in appropriate circumstances.

Mydriatic/cycloplegic agents, such as topical homatropine, which is similar in action to atropine, are useful in breaking and preventing the formation of posterior synechia by keeping the iris dilated and away from the crystalline lens. Dilation of the pupil in an eye with the synechia can cause the pupil to take an irregular, non-circular shape (Dyscoria) as shown in the photograph. If the pupil can be fully dilated during the treatment of iritis, the prognosis for recovery from synechia is good. This is a treatable status.

To subdue the inflammation, use topical corticosteroids. If the intra-ocular pressure is elevated then use a PGA such as Travatan Z.

This is a partial list of human eye diseases and disorders.

The World Health Organization publishes a classification of known diseases and injuries, the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, or ICD-10. This list uses that classification.

Late congenital syphilitic oculopathy is a disease of the eye, a manifestation of late congenital syphilis. It can appear as:

- Interstitial keratitis – this commonly appears between ages 6 and 12. Symptoms include lacrimation and photophobia. Pathological vascularization of the cornea cause it to turn pink or salmon colored. 90% of cases affect both eyes.

- Episcleritis or scleritis – nodules appear in or overlying the sclera (white of eye)

- Iritis or iris papules – vascular infiltration of the iris causes rosy color change and yellow/red nodules.

- Chorioretinitis, papillitis, retinal vasculitis – retinal changes can resemble retinitis pigmentosa.

- Exudative retinal detachment

Congenital syphilis is categorized by the age of the child. Early congenital syphilis occurs in children under 2 years old, and late congenital syphilis in children at or greater than 2 years old. Manifestations of late congenital syphilis are similar to those of secondary syphilis and tertiary syphilis in adults.

A synechia is an eye condition where the iris adheres to either the cornea (i.e. "anterior synechia") or lens (i.e. "posterior synechia"). Synechiae can be caused by ocular trauma, iritis or iridocyclitis and may lead to certain types of glaucoma. It is sometimes visible on careful examination but usually more easily through an ophthalmoscope or slit-lamp.

Anterior synechia causes closed angle glaucoma, which means that the iris closes the drainage way of aqueous humour which in turn raises the intraocular pressure. Posterior synechia also cause glaucoma, but with a different mechanism. In posterior synechia, the iris adheres to the lens, blocking the flow of aqueous humor from the posterior chamber to the anterior chamber. This blocked drainage raises the intraocular pressure.

Affected individuals are typically 20 to 50 years old. The female to male ratio is 2:1. By definition, there is no history of either surgical or accidental ocular trauma. VKH is more common in Asians, Latinos, Middle Easterners, American Indians, and Mexican Mestizos; it is much less common in Caucasians and in blacks from sub-Saharan Africa.

VKH is associated with a variety of genetic polymorphisms that relate to immune function. For example, VKH has been associated with human leukocyte antigens (HLA) HLA-DR4 and DRB1/DQA1, copy-number variations (CNV) of complement component 4, a variant IL-23R locus and with various other non-HLA genes. HLA-DRB1*0405 in particular appears to play an important susceptibility role.

A red eye is an eye that appears red due to illness or injury. It is usually injection and prominence of the superficial blood vessels of the conjunctiva, or sclera, which may be caused by disorders of these or adjacent structures. Conjunctivitis and subconjunctival hemorrhage are two of the less serious but more common causes.

Management includes assessing whether emergency action (including referral) is needed, or whether treatment can be accomplished without additional resources.

Slit lamp examination is invaluable in diagnosis but initial assessment can be performed using a careful history, testing vision (visual acuity), and carrying out a penlight examination.

Although there is sometimes a preceding viral infection, or skin or eye trauma, the exact underlying initiator of VKH disease remains unknown. However, VKH is attributed to aberrant T-cell-mediated immune response directed against self-antigens found on melanocytes. Stimulated by interleukin 23 (IL-23), T helper 17 cells and cytokines such as interleukin 17 (IL-17) appear to target proteins in the melanocyte.

The following are not classified as diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59) by the World Health Organization:

- (B36.1) Keratomycosis — fungal infection of the cornea

- (E50.6-E50.7) Xerophthalmia — dry eyes, caused by vitamin A deficiency

- (Q13.1) Aniridia — a rare congenital eye condition leading to underdevelopment or even absence of the iris of the eye

Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV), also known as Persistent Fetal Vasculature (PFV), is a rare congenital developmental anomaly of the eye that results

following failure of the embryological, primary vitreous and hyaloid vasculature to regress. It can be present in three forms: purely anterior (persistent tunica vasculosa lentis and persistent posterior fetal fibrovascular sheath of the lens), purely posterior (falciform retinal septum and ablatio falcicormis congenita) and a combination of both. Most examples of PHPV are unilateral and non-hereditary. When bilateral, PHPV may follow an autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.

Ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) is the loss of structure and function of a portion of the optic nerve due to obstruction of blood flow to the nerve (i.e. ischemia). Ischemic forms of optic neuropathy are typically classified as either anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or posterior ischemic optic neuropathy according to the part of the optic nerve that is affected. People affected will often complain of a loss of visual acuity and a visual field, the latter of which is usually in the superior or inferior field.

When ION occurs in patients below the age of 50 years old, other causes should be considered. Such as juvenile diabetes mellitus, antiphospholipid antibody-associated clotting disorders, collagen-vascular disease, and migraines. Rarely, complications of intraocular surgery or acute blood loss may cause an ischemic event in the optic nerve.

Anterior ION presents with sudden, painless visual loss developing over hours to days. Examination findings usually include decreased visual acuity, a visual field defect, color vision loss, a relative afferent pupillary defect, and a swollen optic nerve head. Posterior ION occurs arteritic, nonarteritic, and surgical settings. It is characterized by acute vision loss without initial disc edema, but with subsequent optic disc atrophy.

Although there is no recognized treatment that can reverse the visual loss. Upon recent reports, optic nerve health decompression may be beneficial for a select group of patients with a gradual decline in vision due to ION.

A limbal nodule is any nodular lesion at the limbus (junction of the cornea and sclera) of the eye.

The differential diagnosis for a limbal nodule can include:

- Pinguecula

- Early Pterygium

- Foreign body / foreign body granuloma

- Phlycten, an inflamed nodule of lymphoid tissue

- Episcleritis

- Scleritis

- Granuloma

- Limbal dermoid, a kind of choristoma (NB: in other organs "dermoid" can refer to a teratoma)

- malignant melanoma

The primary vitreous used in formation of the eye during fetal development remains in the eye upon birth and is hazy and scarred. The symptoms are leukocoria, strabismus, nystagmus and blurred vision, blindness.

Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) primarily occurs in adults (with a mean age of 27). Symptoms include blurred vision in both eyes, but the onset may occur at a different time in each eye. There are yellow-white placoid lesions in the posterior pole at the level of the RPE. Some suggest a genetic predisposition to the disease, while others postulate an abnormal immune response to a virus.

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) occurs mostly in females. Symptoms include a sudden loss of central vision, but patients eventually regain normal vision. The white dots are small and located in the posterior pole at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The white dots may disappear after the first few weeks of the disease. The cause is generally unknown, but a viral illness has been reported prior to MEWDS in one-third of cases. Since the disease occurs primarily in females, “hormonal status” might be a contributing factor.