Symptoms range from dry eye, epiphora, and irritation, to localized pain, foreign body sensation, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and ulceration. Symptoms are often made worse by vigorous blinking. Diagnosis can be made under a slit lamp upon the observation of redundant conjunctival folds. These folds can be made more apparent by staining with fluorescin dye and by applying gentle upward pressure with a finger to the eyeball through the lower lid. A tear-clearance test can also detect irregularities in the tear-film.

It is seen as a yellow-white deposit on the conjunctiva adjacent to the limbus (the junction between the cornea and sclera). (It is to be distinguished clinically from a pterygium, which is a wedge shaped area of fibrosis that may grow onto the cornea.) A pinguecula usually does not cause any symptoms. It is most common in tropical climates and there is a direct correlation with UV exposure.

Histologically, there is degeneration of the collagen fibers of the conjunctival stroma with thinning of the overlying epithelium and occasionally calcification. Actinic exposure of the thin conjunctival tissue is thought to cause fibroblasts to produce more elastin fibers, which are more twisted than normal elastin fibers and may lead to the degradation of the collagen fibers. Alternatively, it has been postulated that the sub-epithelial collagen fibers undergo degradation and assume the qualities of elastic tissue while fragmenting and twisting in a different configuration from their normal state.

It is thought that the high reflectivity of the solid white scleral tissue underlying the conjunctival tissue may result in additional UV exposure to the back side of the tissue. The side of the nose also reflects sunlight on to the conjunctiva. As a result, pingueculae tend to occur more often on the nasal side of the eye. While most pingueculae are found in people over the age of 40, they are not uncommon in 20- and 30-year-old adults who spend significant time in the sun.

The surface of the conjunctival tissue overlying a pinguecula interferes with the normal spreading of the tear film. The tear ferning test reveals abnormalities of the mucous component of the tear film, making it useful as a predictor of a person's tolerance of hydrophilic soft contact lenses. Contact lens intolerance can also result from the elevation of the peripheral edge of the contact lens if it overlies a pinguecula.

The plural form of "pinguecula" is "pingueculae". "Pinguecula" is derived from the Latin word "pinguis" for fat or grease.

In cases of endophthalmitis, one usually finds a history of recent intraocular surgery or penetrating ocular trauma. In some cases of endogenous endophthalmitis—particularly in immunocompromised patients or those with diabetes—the spread of infection may have been hematogenous (via the blood-stream).

Endophthalmitis is usually accompanied by severe pain, loss of vision, and redness of the conjunctiva and the underlying episclera. Hypopyon can be present in endophthalmitis and should be looked for on examination by a slit lamp.

An eye exam may be indicated in severe forms of candidiasis. 1-3% of cases of candidal blood infections include endophthalmitis.

Conjunctival concretions are generally asymptomatic. Common symptoms include eye discomfort, eye irritation, and foreign body sensation. Sometimes, the larger, harder or multiple concretions make the rubbing off of the superficial layers of the conjunctiva or eyelids to cause conjunctival abrasion, especially prominent when upon blinking. In severe cases, dysfunction or inflammation of the Meibomian (Meibomianitis, an inflammation of the tarsal glands) glands may occur.

Because the disorder often occurs in people with typical dry eye symptoms, it can be difficult to distinguish readily the discomfort caused by the dry eye from that directly related to the redundant conjunctiva.

Endophthalmitis is an inflammation of the interior of the eye. It is a possible complication of all intraocular surgeries, particularly cataract surgery, with possible loss of vision and the eye itself. Infectious cause is the most common and various bacteria and fungi have been isolated as the cause of the endophthalmitis. Other causes include penetrating trauma, allergic reaction, and retained intraocular foreign bodies. Intravitreal injections expose patients to the risk of endophthalmitis, but with an incidence rate usually less than .05%.

A pinguecula is a common type of conjunctival degeneration in the eye.

Conjunctival concretions can be single, also multiple, less confluent. There is no difference between the site of the occurrence on the upper and lower eyelid, nor right or left eye. The vast majority of concretions are in the conjunctival surface rather than deep. There is no difference in age for predilection or incidence of concretions, due to the causes of conjunctivitis, aging, and even congenital factor.

Neurotrophic keratitis (NK) is a degenerative disease of the cornea caused by damage of the trigeminal nerve, which results in impairment of corneal sensitivity, spontaneous corneal epithelium breakdown, poor corneal healing and development of corneal ulceration, melting and perforation.

Neurotrophic keratitis is classified as a rare disease, with an estimated prevalence of less than 5 in 10,000 people in Europe. It has been recorded that on average, 6% of herpetic keratitis cases may evolve to this disease, with a peak of 12.8% of cases of keratitis due to herpes zoster virus.

The diagnosis, and particularly the treatment of neurotrophic keratitis are the most complex and challenging aspects of this disease, as a satisfactory therapeutic approach is not yet available.

Xerophthalmia is a medical condition in which the eye fails to produce tears. It may be caused by vitamin A deficiency, which is sometimes used to describe that condition, although there may be other causes.

Xerophthalmia caused by a severe vitamin A deficiency is described by pathologic dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. The conjunctiva becomes dry, thick and wrinkled. If untreated, it can lead to corneal ulceration and ultimately to blindness as a result of corneal damage.

Xerophthalmia usually implies a destructive dryness of the conjunctival epithelium due to dietary vitamin A deficiency — a rare condition in developed countries, but still causing much damage in developing countries. Other forms of dry eye are associated with aging, poor lid closure, scarring from a previous injury, or autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome, and these can all cause chronic conjunctivitis. Radioiodine therapy can also induce xerophthalmia, often transiently, although in some patients late onset or persistent xerophthalmia has been observed.

The damage to the cornea in vitamin A associated xerophthalmia is quite different from damage to the retina at the back of the globe, a type of damage which can also be due to lack of vitamin A, but which is caused by lack of other forms of vitamin A which work in the visual system. Xerophthalmia from "hypovitaminosis A" is specifically due to lack of the hormone-like vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid, since (along with certain growth-stunting effects) the condition can be reversed in vitamin A deficient rats by retinoic acid supplementation (however the retinal damage continues). Since retinoic acid cannot be reduced to retinal or retinol, these effects on the cornea must be specific to retinoic acid. This is in keeping with retinoic acid's known requirement for good health in epithelial cells, such as those in the cornea. The term is from Greek "Ξηροφθαλμία" = ξηρός, dry and οφθαλμός, eye.

Red eye, swelling of conjunctiva and watering of the eyes are symptoms common to all forms of conjunctivitis. However, the pupils should be normally reactive, and the visual acuity normal.

Symptoms of entropion include:

- Redness and pain around the eye

- Sensitivity to light and wind

- Sagging skin around the eye

- Epiphora

- Decreased vision, especially if the cornea is damaged

According to Mackie's classification, neurotrophic keratitis can be divided into three stages based on severity:

1. "Stage I:" characterized by alterations of the corneal epithelium, which is dry and opaque, with superficial punctate keratopathy and corneal oedema. Long-lasting neurotrophic keratitis may also cause hyperplasia of the epithelium, stromal scarring and neovascularization of the cornea.

2. "Stage II:" characterized by development of epithelial defects, often in the area near the centre of the cornea.

3. "Stage III:" characterized by ulcers of the cornea accompanied by stromal oedema and/or melting that may result in corneal perforation.

With anterior lens luxation, the lens pushes into the iris or actually enters the anterior chamber of the eye. This can cause glaucoma, uveitis, or damage to the cornea. Uveitis (inflammation of the eye) causes the pupil to constrict (miosis) and trap the lens in the anterior chamber, leading to an obstruction of outflow of aqueous humour and subsequent increase in ocular pressure (glaucoma). Better prognosis is valued in lens replacement surgery (retained vision and normal intraocular pressure) when it is performed before the onset of secondary glaucoma. Glaucoma secondary to anterior lens luxation is less common in cats than dogs due to their naturally deeper anterior chamber and the liquification of the vitreous humour secondary to chronic inflammation. Anterior lens luxation is considered to be an ophthalmological emergency.

In the acute stage of the disease, a catarrhal conjunctivitis is present, with signs of ocular pain, usually blepharospasm, increased lacrimation, and photophobia. Miosis is also usually present. After a few days, this will progress to a keratitis and iridocyclitis. Other ocular problems may also occur, including conjunctival and corneal oedema, and aqueous flare.

After an acute flare-up, no clinical signs of disease may be seen for a prolonged period, which can vary from a few hours to a few years. With frequent acute incidents, though, additional clinical signs may be seen, including anterior and posterior synechiae, poor pupillary responses, cataracts, and a cloudy appearance to the vitreous humour.

Rubeosis iridis, also called neovascularization of the iris (NVI), is a medical condition of the iris of the eye in which new abnormal blood vessels (formed by neovascularization) are found on the surface of the iris.

Viral conjunctivitis is often associated with an infection of the upper respiratory tract, a common cold, or a sore throat. Its symptoms include excessive watering and itching. The infection usually begins with one eye, but may spread easily to the other.

Viral conjunctivitis shows a fine, diffuse pinkness of the conjunctiva, which is easily mistaken for the ciliary infection of iris (iritis), but there are usually corroborative signs on microscopy, particularly numerous lymphoid follicles on the tarsal conjunctiva, and sometimes a punctate keratitis.

Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), also known as moon blindness, recurrent iridocyclitis or periodic ophthalmia, is an acute, nongranulomatous inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye, occurring commonly in horses of all breeds, worldwide. The causative factor is not known, but several pathogeneses have been suggested. It is the most common cause of blindness in horses. In some breeds, a genetic factor may be involved.

Xerophthalmia usually affects children under nine years old and "accounts for 20,000-100,000 new cases of childhood blindness each year in the developing countries." The disease is largely found in developing countries like many of those in Africa and Southern Asia. The condition is not congenital and develops over the course of a few months as the lacrimal glands fail to produce tears. Other conditions involved in the progression already stated include the appearance of Bitot's spots, which are clumps of keratin debris that build up inside the conjunctiva and night blindness, which precedes corneal ulceration and total blindness.

A symblepharon is a partial or complete adhesion of the palpebral conjunctiva of the eyelid to the bulbar conjunctiva of the eyeball. It results either from disease (conjunctival sequelae of trachoma) or trauma. Cicatricial pemphigoid and, in severe cases, rosacea may cause symblepharon. It is rarely congenital. and its treament

1 ocular movements restricted

2 diplopia

3 lagophthalmos

4 cosmetic cause

types.

Anterior, adhesion in Anterior part

Posterior, adhesion in only fornices

total, adhesion involves whole lens

Complications.

prophylaxis, 1 sweeping a glass rod around fornices several times a day

2 therapeutic soft contact lens

curative treatment t, 1 mobilising surrounding cornea, 2 conjunctival or buccal mucosa graft, 3 amniotic membrane transplant

With posterior lens luxation, the lens falls back into the vitreous humour and lies on the floor of the eye. This type causes fewer problems than anterior lens luxation, although glaucoma or ocular inflammation may occur. Surgery is used to treat dogs with significant symptoms. Removal of the lens before it moves to the anterior chamber may prevent secondary glaucoma.

Symptoms of pterygium include persistent redness, inflammation, foreign body sensation, tearing, dry and itchy eyes. In advanced cases the pterygium can affect vision as it invades the cornea with the potential of obscuring the optical center of the cornea and inducing astigmatism and corneal scarring. Many patients do complain of the cosmetic appearance of the eye either with some of the symptoms above or as their major complaint.

Corneal ulcers are extremely painful due to nerve exposure, and can cause tearing, squinting, and vision loss of the eye. There may also be signs of anterior uveitis, such as miosis (small pupil), aqueous flare (protein in the aqueous humour), and redness of the eye. An axon reflex may be responsible for uveitis formation—stimulation of pain receptors in the cornea results in release inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, histamine, and acetylcholine.

Sensitivity to light (photophobia) is also a common symptom of corneal ulcer.

This condition is often associated with diabetes in advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Other conditions causing rubeosis iridis include central retinal vein occlusion, ocular ischemic syndrome, and chronic retinal detachment.

Entropion is a medical condition in which the eyelid (usually the lower lid) folds inward. It is very uncomfortable, as the eyelashes continuously rub against the cornea causing irritation. Entropion is usually caused by genetic factors. This is different from when an extra fold of skin on the lower eyelid causes lashes to turn in towards the eye (epiblepharon). In epiblepharons, the eyelid margin itself is in the correct position, but the extra fold of skin causes the lashes to be misdirected. Entropion can also create secondary pain of the eye (leading to self trauma, scarring of the eyelid, or nerve damage). The upper or lower eyelid can be involved, and one or both eyes may be affected. When entropion occurs in both eyes, this is known as "bilateral entropion." Repeated cases of trachoma infection may cause scarring of the inner eyelid, which may cause entropion. In human cases, this condition is most common to people over 60 years of age.