DEFINITION Glaucoma is not just one eye disease, but a group of eye conditions resulting in optic nerve damage, which may cause loss of vision. Abnormally high pressure inside your eye (intraocular pressure) usually, but not always, causes this damage.…
DEFINITION Poor color vision is a reduced ability to distinguish between certain colors. Although many people use the term “colorblind” to refer to the reduced ability to discriminate between colors, true colorblindness is a total lack of color vision, which…
DEFINITION Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve, the bundle of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from your eye to your brain. Pain and temporary vision loss are common symptoms of optic neuritis. Optic neuritis is…
DEFINITION Retinal detachment describes an emergency situation in which a critical layer of tissue (the retina) at the back of the eye pulls away from the layer of blood vessels that provides it with oxygen and nourishment. Retinal detachment…
DEFINITION Intussusception (in-tuh-suh-SEP-shun) is a serious disorder in which part of the intestine slides into an adjacent part of the intestine. This “telescoping” often blocks food or fluid from passing through. Intussusception also cuts off the blood supply to the…
DEFINITION Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a symptom of a disorder in your digestive tract. The blood often appears in stool or vomit but isn’t always visible. The level of bleeding can range from mild to severe and life-threatening. Finding the…
DEFINITION Encopresis, also called stool holding or soiling, occurs when your child resists having bowel movements, causing impacted stool to collect in the colon and rectum. When your child’s colon is full of impacted stool, liquid stool can leak around…
DEFINITION A foreign object in the ear can cause pain and hearing loss. Usually you know if an object is stuck in your ear, but small children may not be aware of it. If an object becomes lodged in the…
DEFINITION A ruptured eardrum — or perforated tympanic membrane as it’s medically known — is a hole or tear in your eardrum, the thin tissue that separates your ear canal from your middle ear. A ruptured eardrum can result…
DEFINITION Airplane ear is the stress exerted on your eardrum and other middle ear tissues when the air pressure in your middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance. You may experience airplane ear at…
DEFINITION Earwax blockage occurs when earwax (cerumen) accumulates in your ear or becomes too hard to wash away naturally. Earwax is a helpful and natural part of your body’s defenses. It cleans, lubricates and protects your ear canal by…
DEFINITION Tinnitus (TIN-ih-tus) is noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn’t a condition itself — it’s a symptom of an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury…