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Eyes and sight: find the right page

The pages on this site for the eyes and sight were spread out across the long list of tools. This page puts 35 of them on one list, sorted by what you notice or what happened. Pick one and it opens. Each line below is that page’s own description.

If you think someone’s life is in danger, call 911 now. This page is a list. It cannot tell one eye problem from another, and it cannot tell you how serious something is.

Our page on eye care you can afford names the sudden symptoms the National Eye Institute says mean going for care right away, whatever is in your pocket. Our page on fading sight names the sudden changes that are an emergency. Our page on a hurt eye says what to rinse and what never to rinse, and when a black eye means the emergency room. Our glaucoma page says sudden intense eye pain, nausea, a red eye and blurry vision mean a doctor or an emergency room now.

An eye that is hurt, or something got in it

The first is for a chemical, a speck, a blow or a cut to an eye. The second is for a possible poisoning, something in an eye among them, and says when it is 911 and when it is Poison Help.

When an eye is hurtA chemical, a speck, a blow or a cut to an eye, or flashes and new floaters after an injury. Keeps nothing.
When it might be a poisoningA child got into the pills or the cleaner, a double dose or the wrong medicine, two products mixed, something in an eye, a swallowed button battery, a snake bite, bad food. Keeps nothing.

A pink, red or sticky eye in a child (pink eye)

Written for anyone looking after a child with a pink, red or sticky eye. Pink eye in a newborn: a doctor right away.

Pink eye in a baby or child: what the signs suggest, what helps, and when to callFor anyone looking after a child with a pink, red or sticky eye. Keeps nothing.

Losing side vision, high eye pressure, or glaucoma in the family (glaucoma)

Written for anyone just told they have glaucoma or high eye pressure, anyone with glaucoma in the family wondering when to get checked, and parents of a baby with cloudy eyes. Sudden intense eye pain, nausea, a red eye and blurry vision: a doctor or an emergency room now.

Glaucoma: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, eye drops, laser and surgeryFor anyone just told they have glaucoma or high eye pressure; anyone over 60, African American and over 40, or with glaucoma in the family and wondering when to get checked; anyone using glaucoma eye drops, or offered laser treatment or surgery; anyone losing side vision; and parents of a baby with cloudy eyes. Keeps nothing.

Vision getting cloudy, faded or full of glare (cataracts)

Written for anyone whose vision is getting cloudy, anyone 60 or older wondering when to get checked, and anyone deciding about surgery or getting ready for it. After surgery, vision loss, bad pain or very red eyes: call your eye doctor right away.

Cataracts: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, deciding when, and cataract surgeryFor anyone just told they have a cataract; anyone whose vision is getting cloudy, faded or full of glare; anyone 60 or older wondering when to get checked; anyone deciding about surgery or getting ready for it; anyone whose vision is cloudy again after surgery; and parents of a child with a cataract. Keeps nothing.

Diabetes and your eyes (diabetic retinopathy)

Written for anyone with diabetes who wants to protect their eyesight, in pregnancy too, and anyone just told they have diabetic retinopathy. Dark floating spots or streaks like cobwebs: get treatment right away.

Diabetic retinopathy: the signs, who is at risk, the yearly eye exam, protecting your sight, and treatmentFor anyone with diabetes (type 1, type 2, or diabetes in pregnancy) who wants to protect their eyesight; anyone just told they have diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema; anyone with blurry vision or dark floating spots; anyone pregnant with diabetes; and anyone facing eye injections, laser treatment or surgery. Keeps nothing.

Straight lines that look wavy, or a blurry spot in the middle (age-related macular degeneration)

Written for anyone 55 or older, or with AMD in the family, who wants to protect their eyesight, anyone just told they have AMD, and anyone wondering about AREDS 2 vitamins. Straight lines that look wavy: see your eye doctor right away.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, AREDS 2 supplements, and treatmentFor anyone age 55 or older, or with AMD in the family, who wants to protect their eyesight; anyone just told they have age-related macular degeneration, dry or wet; anyone who sees straight lines look wavy or a blurry spot in the middle of their vision; anyone wondering about AREDS 2 vitamins; anyone facing eye injections; and anyone finding reading, faces or cooking harder. Keeps nothing.

Straight lines that look bent, or a blurry spot in the middle, from a hole or wrinkle in the macula (macular hole, macular pucker)

Written for someone told they have a macular hole or a macular pucker, someone facing a vitrectomy or living with a gas bubble in the eye, and someone wondering whether it is the same as AMD. Sudden loss of sight or a curtain over your vision: an eye doctor or an emergency room right away, or 911.

Macular hole and macular pucker: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and surgeryFor someone who sees straight lines bent or wavy, or a blurry spot in the middle; for someone told they have a macular hole or a macular pucker and wondering what happens next; for someone facing a vitrectomy or living with a gas bubble in the eye; and for someone wondering whether it is the same as macular degeneration. Keeps nothing.

Suddenly a lot of new floaters, flashes of light, or a curtain over your vision (retinal detachment)

Written for anyone who suddenly sees a lot of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow like a curtain over part of their vision, anyone who was hit in the eye, and anyone told they have a tear in the retina. With those warning signs: go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away.

Retinal detachment: the warning signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and treatmentFor anyone who suddenly sees a lot of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow like a curtain over part of their vision; anyone with a few floaters who wonders whether they are normal; anyone who was hit in the eye; anyone at higher risk because of a past detachment, family history, eye surgery, extreme nearsightedness or diabetes; anyone told they have a tear in the retina; and anyone facing surgery or just home from it. Keeps nothing.

Spots, threads or little cobwebs drifting across your vision (floaters)

Written for someone who sees floaters that come and go, someone 50 or older told the gel inside the eye is pulling away (vitreous detachment), and someone whose floaters get in the way. Suddenly a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain: go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away.

Eye floaters and flashes of light: what is normal, the warning signs, vitreous detachment, the eye exam, and treatmentFor someone who sees spots, threads, squiggly lines or little cobwebs drifting across their vision; for someone who suddenly sees a lot of new floaters, flashes of light or a shadow like a curtain; for someone 50 or older told the gel inside the eye is pulling away (vitreous detachment); and for someone whose floaters get in the way of daily life. Keeps nothing.

Eyes that burn, sting or feel scratchy (dry eye)

Written for anyone whose eyes burn, sting, feel scratchy or look red, anyone who looks at a screen most of the day or wears contact lenses, and anyone for whom drops from the store are not helping. A hurt eye, sudden eye pain or a sudden change in your sight: get care now.

Dry eye: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and treatmentFor anyone whose eyes burn, sting, feel scratchy or look red; anyone who looks at a screen most of the day or wears contact lenses; anyone whose dry eyes started with a new medicine, after laser eye surgery, with age, pregnancy or menopause, or with diabetes, a thyroid problem, lupus or Sjögren syndrome; and anyone for whom drops from the store are not helping. Keeps nothing.

Eyelids that are red, itchy, swollen or crusty (blepharitis)

Written for someone whose eyelids are crusty when they wake up, someone wondering how to clean their eyelids, someone with dandruff, rosacea or oily skin, and someone who keeps getting a stye or a chalazion. Sudden loss of sight or bad eye pain: an emergency room or 911.

Blepharitis: the signs, the causes, cleaning your eyelids, other problems it can cause, and treatmentFor someone whose eyelids are red, itchy, swollen or crusty when they wake up; for someone told they have blepharitis and wondering how to clean their eyelids; for someone with dandruff, rosacea or oily skin; and for someone who keeps getting a stye or a chalazion. Keeps nothing.

An eyelid that keeps twitching, or eyes that squeeze shut on their own (blepharospasm)

Written for anyone whose eyelid has been twitching for days or weeks, anyone whose eyes squeeze shut on their own, and anyone told they have blepharospasm. NEI says most twitching goes away on its own; see your eye doctor if it lasts more than a few weeks. A face that suddenly droops: 911.

Blepharospasm: eyelid twitching you can’t control, what causes it, the eye exam, and the treatmentFor anyone whose eyelid has been twitching for days or weeks, anyone whose eyes squeeze shut on their own, and anyone told they have blepharospasm. Keeps nothing.

An eye that is suddenly red, painful, blurry or bothered by light (uveitis)

Written for anyone whose eye is suddenly red, painful, blurry or bothered by light, or who sees floaters, and anyone given steroid eye drops, pills or a shot. With symptoms: see your eye doctor right away. Suddenly a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain: that is the warning of a detached retina.

Uveitis: the signs, the types, the causes, the eye exam, and treatmentFor anyone whose eye is suddenly red, painful, blurry or bothered by light, or who sees floaters; anyone with lupus, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis or another disease of the immune system, or with shingles or another infection; anyone who smokes; anyone given steroid eye drops, pills or a shot; anyone whose uveitis went away and came back; and anyone just told they have it. Keeps nothing.

Blurry far away or up close, squinting, or needing glasses (refractive errors)

Written for anyone who squints to see far away, holds a phone or a book farther away to read, or still sees blurry with glasses or contacts. Glasses are the simplest and safest way to correct it. A sudden change in sight, eye pain, or a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain is not something to wait on.

Refractive errors: blurry vision, the four types, the eye exam, and glasses, contacts or surgeryFor anyone who squints to see far away, holds a phone or a book farther away to read, gets headaches or tired eyes from reading or screens, sees glare or halos around lights at night, still sees blurry with glasses or contacts, has a child who may need glasses, or cannot afford an eye exam. Keeps nothing.

A child who squints, shuts one eye, or has an eye that drifts (lazy eye)

Written for anyone looking after a child who squints, shuts one eye, tilts their head to see, or has an eye that drifts, for a child aged 3 to 5, and for adults with a lazy eye since childhood. Early treatment works well. A sudden change in sight, eye pain, an eye that suddenly starts to turn, or new double vision is not something to wait on.

Lazy eye (amblyopia): the signs, the check between 3 and 5, the causes, and treatment with glasses, a patch or eye dropsFor a parent or anyone looking after a child who squints, shuts one eye, tilts their head to see, or has an eye that drifts in, out, up or down; for a child aged 3 to 5, or one who has never had their vision checked; for a family just told a child has amblyopia, with a patch or eye drops to manage; and for adults who have had a lazy eye since childhood. Keeps nothing.

Blurry or double vision up close, or words that move when reading (convergence insufficiency)

Written for parents of a child who struggles to read or says the words move, for anyone whose eyes tire, blur or double up close, and for anyone after a concussion. A regular eye exam can miss it, so ask for the check by name. New double vision after a hit to the head is not something to wait on.

Convergence insufficiency: when the eyes don’t work together up close, the symptoms, the check a regular eye exam misses, and treatmentFor parents of a child who struggles to read, loses their place or says the words move; for anyone whose eyes get tired, blurry or double up close; and for anyone with those problems after a concussion. Keeps nothing.

A baby born early: the eye exams (retinopathy of prematurity)

Written for the family of a baby born early or very small. There are no signs you can see, so the eye exams on schedule are how it is found. A pupil that looks white, or eyes that shake or do not follow, is not something to wait on.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP): the eye exams for a baby born early, the stages, and treatmentFor parents and families of a premature baby, born early or very small, in the hospital or just home, and for anyone told a baby needs eye exams for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Keeps nothing.

A pupil that looks white in a photo, or another sign in a young child’s eye (retinoblastoma)

Written for parents who saw a white pupil in a flash photo, an eye that drifts, or a red, swollen or watery eye in a young child, for parents just told it is retinoblastoma, and for families where someone had it. NEI says to call your child’s doctor right away.

Retinoblastoma: a white pupil in a photo, the other signs in a young child, the tests, and the treatmentFor parents who saw a pupil that looks white in a flash photo or another sign in their child’s eye, for parents just told it is retinoblastoma, and for families where someone had it. Keeps nothing.

Mixing up colors, like red and green (color blindness)

Written for someone who mixes up red and green, or blue and yellow, for a parent whose child has trouble learning colors, and for someone whose color vision changed later in life or with a medicine. A sudden change in sight, eye pain, or a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain is not something to wait on.

Color blindness (color vision deficiency): the signs, the types, who is more likely to have it, the color tests, and what helpsFor someone who mixes up red and green, or blue and yellow; for a parent whose child has trouble learning colors, or who has color blindness in the family; for someone whose color vision changed later in life or with a medicine; and for anyone whose job or school work depends on telling colors apart. Keeps nothing.

Trouble seeing at night or in the dark, and side vision slowly closing in (retinitis pigmentosa)

Written for anyone told they have RP or who may have it, and for parents of a child who has trouble in the dark. It is genetic and changes slowly; a sudden change in sight is not something to wait on.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP): losing night and side vision, the genes, the tests, and making the most of your sightFor anyone told they have retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or who may have it, for parents of a child who has trouble seeing at night or in the dark, and for families. Keeps nothing.

Hearing loss and fading sight together (Usher syndrome)

Written for parents of a child with hearing loss who now has trouble in the dark, and for anyone told they have Usher syndrome. It is genetic, and early help for hearing and sight makes the most difference.

Usher syndrome: hearing loss and fading sight together, the 3 types, the tests, and the help that works best earlyFor parents of a child with hearing loss who now has trouble in the dark, for anyone told they or their child has Usher syndrome, and for families. Keeps nothing.

Central vision fading in a child or young adult, with dark or hazy spots in the middle (Stargardt disease)

Written for parents of a child or teen whose central vision is fading, for anyone told they have Stargardt disease, and for families. There is no treatment yet, but sunglasses and a hat, no extra vitamin A and no smoking may slow the loss, and low vision help works best when it starts early.

Stargardt disease: central vision fading in a child or young adult, the gene, the tests, and the steps that may slow itFor parents of a child or teen whose central vision is fading, for anyone told they or their child has Stargardt disease, and for families. Keeps nothing.

Sight that is fading, and living with low vision

Written for people who are not seeing as well as they used to, or who have been told glasses can’t fix it, and the people beside them. It names the sudden changes that are an emergency.

When your sight is fadingFor people who are not seeing as well as they used to, or who have been told glasses can’t fix it, and the people beside them. Keeps nothing.

Glasses or an eye exam you can’t afford

Written for anyone who cannot see well and cannot pay to find out why. It names the sudden symptoms the National Eye Institute says mean going for care right away, whatever is in your pocket.

When you can’t afford glasses or an eye exam: free and low-cost programs, what Medicare and insurance cover, and what should not waitFor anyone who cannot see well and cannot pay to find out why, and the people beside them. Keeps nothing.

Eyes that come with something else: dryness, a rash, a red face, sore joints, a headache at the temples, a thyroid

These six are about something else that can reach the eyes. Sjögren’s disease: eyes and mouth dry all the time. Shingles: blisters on the face or near an eye. Rosacea: a red face, and it can cause eye problems. Reactive arthritis: sore joints and red eyes. Giant cell arteritis: sight problems need a provider right away. An overactive thyroid: Graves’ eye disease.

Sjögren’s disease: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with itFor anyone whose eyes and mouth are dry all the time, anyone with joint pain and tiredness beside the dryness, anyone just told they have Sjögren’s disease, and the people beside them. Keeps nothing.
Shingles: the signs, the first three days, the pain that can stay, who can catch what, the vaccine, and when to callFor anyone with a painful rash on one side of the body or face that may be shingles, or looking after someone who has it. Keeps nothing.
Rosacea: the symptoms, what can set it off, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with itFor anyone whose face flushes and stays red, anyone just told they have rosacea, and the people beside them. Keeps nothing.
Reactive arthritis: the signs after an infection, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with itFor anyone whose knee, ankle or heel started to hurt and swell a few weeks after a stomach bug, food poisoning, a bladder infection or a sexually transmitted infection, anyone with sore joints and red eyes or burning when they pee, and anyone just told they have reactive arthritis. Keeps nothing.
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: the symptoms, who gets them, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with themFor someone past 50 whose shoulders and hips ache and stiffen every morning, someone with a new headache at the temples, a tender scalp or jaw pain when chewing, anyone just told they have polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis), and anyone taking a steroid for it. Keeps nothing.
Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism): the signs, getting a diagnosis, the treatments, and Graves’ diseaseFor anyone whose heart races, whose hands shake, or who is losing weight without trying and wondering about their thyroid; anyone just told they have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ disease; anyone choosing between medicine, radioactive iodine and surgery, or taking antithyroid medicine; anyone pregnant with a thyroid problem; and anyone caring for someone with one. Keeps nothing.

Before you call or go in

These four are for anyone’s appointment, call or medicines. They were not made for the eyes.

Symptom diary: write it down, show your doctorWrite down what you notice when it happens, with your own number from 0 to 10. What you type is kept only in this browser.
Get ready for your appointmentTen minutes before you go: what has been happening, your medicines, your questions and what helps you, on one page to hand to your doctor, therapist or psychiatrist, with room to write down the plan. What you type is kept only in this browser.
Call script: know what you will say before you dialA phone call you keep putting off? Write who you are calling, the sentence that says what you want, what to have ready and what to ask. What you type is kept only in this browser.
My medicines: a list and a daily check“Did I already take it?” Write down what you take and when, tick each medicine as you take it, and the page keeps the time. What you type is kept only in this browser.

Good to know

What these pages are

All 35 were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast. No doctor, eye doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed them.
The health guides pass on what named public sources say, such as the National Eye Institute (NEI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIAMS and NIDDK. Most guides name the sources they were built from.
Every line on this list is copied from the page it points to when this list is built. This list adds no health facts of its own.
The order of the list is not an order of how serious a thing is. Being lower on the list does not make anything less urgent.
They are for the United States: the phone numbers and the offices are U.S. ones.

What this page can’t do

It is not medical advice. It cannot tell one eye problem from another, or tell you whether to wait or to go in.
It does not have every subject. If your eyes are not on this list, an eye doctor or low-cost eye care can help.
Most of these pages were written about adults. The pink eye page is written for a child, and the pages on a hurt eye, glaucoma and cataracts each have a part on a child or a baby.
It does not replace an eye doctor, a nurse line, a pharmacist or a clinic. If something feels wrong to you, call them.

Pages that go with this

First aid: what do you see?: the cards for when someone is hurt in front of you.
Diabetes: the guide for the rest of living with diabetes.
A baby or child: find the right page: the longer list for anyone looking after a baby or child.
All the free tools, and search.
The phone list: the helplines the guides lead with, on one page.
Pass it on: any of these pages as a code to show or a slip to print.

If losing your sight has left you thinking about ending your life or hurting yourself, call or text 988 (in the U.S.) now, or open Get help now.

A list to help you find a page, not a doctor. General information for the United States. It is not medical, legal, financial or educational advice.

This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). The names and lines of the 35 pages are read from the pages’ own descriptions when this page is built. The page was checked by programs, not yet used by people. It runs no analytics or tracking (privacy). Also in Spanish: Ojos y vista. Found a mistake? Email scarlet@scarletbeast.com.