If you're diabetic, you have a higher risk of certain diseases of the eye than non-diabetics, so if you're experiencing blurred vision, it could be a symptom of one of several serious eye conditions.

Your eyeball is suspended inside a cone-shaped, skeletal socket called the "bony orbit." It has a hole in the back, through which run the optic nerve, main blood vessels of the eye, and other nerves.

Entropion" (en-TROE-pee-un), or contracted eyelid, is an inward rotation of your eyelid, usually the lower lid, which causes your lashes to rub against your eye.

If you've been diagnosed with diabetes (dye-uh-BEE-teez), it's important that you're aware of how the disease can cause problems with your eyes, if you're not careful.

When the lower eyelid droops, or turns outward, it may be a condition known as "ectropion" (eck-TROE-pe-un). It may occur as a normal consequence of aging, but it can also result from various inflammations or chemical burns.

There can be many possible side effects-- that is, unintended impacts-- to your eyes as a result of taking prescription medications. These side effects can show up either shortly after you start taking a drug or after prolonged use.

Dyslexia (dis-LEX-ee-uh) isn't a disease; rather, it's a learning disorder caused by differences in the structure and function of the brain. A dyslexic's (dis-LEX-icks) brain has difficulty translating language to thought, or thought to language.

If you've ever looked in the mirror and noticed that your eyelashes had crust or flakes in them, especially near the bottom, or you've noticed a dusting of flaky particles inside your eyeglasses, you may have a condition known as "blepharitis" (bleh-fuh-RYE-tus).

"Floaters" are small, solidified particles trapped in the vitreous (VIH-tree-us), which is the clear, jelly-like material that fills the inside of your eye behind the lens.

The cornea is the very sensitive, clear part at the front of your eye. A foreign body on the cornea-- such as a grain of sand, piece of dirt, poorly-fitting contact lens, your fingernail, or a mascara brush-- can cause a corneal abrasion (uh-BRAY-zhun) or scraping of the cornea.

As you age, your eyelid tissue loses its elasticity. When this occurs in the upper eyelid, it's called "dermatochalasis" (der-muh-to-KAL-ay-sis), or "hooding.

Sometimes your lower eyelashes may turn inward and against your eye, a condition known as "entropion" (en-TRO-pee-un). Most cases are a result of the normal aging process, which causes the eyelid to lose its strength, resulting in the edge of the lid flipping inward.

A number of different types of lumps, growths, or lesions can occur on your eyelids. Most are annoying, but they're often benign (buh-NINE). A few, however, are more serious, so an accurate diagnosis of a lid lump is important.

Age-related macular (MACK-you-lur) degeneration, or "AMD" (A-M-D), also called "senile (SEE-nile) macular degeneration," or "SMD" (S-M-D), is a leading cause of blindness, both in the U.

Optic neuritis (new-RIGH-tis) is an inflammation of the optic nerve, the nerve that transmits every visual impulse from the eye to the brain. When the optic nerve becomes inflamed, it causes a marked decrease in central or fine visual acuity (uh-CUE-ih-tee), or a loss of visual field.

The orbit, or socket, of the eye is a limited space bounded by bony plates of the skull. If this space is invaded by a foreign substance, the eye can be pushed outward.

The "sclera" (SKLER-uh) is the white of the eye. The "episclera" (EP-pi-scler-uh) lies just beneath the conjunctiva (con-junk-TIE-vuh), the thin membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and eyeball, and is adjacent to the white scleral coat of the eye.

Secondary growths, or metastases (muh-TAS-tuh-sees), from many different primary cancerous tumors originating in other parts of the body may be seen in the eyes.

A number of different growths or tumors can occur on your eyelids, some of which can be cancerous. The most common malignant (muh-LIG-nant) eyelid tumor is "basal (BAY-sul) cell carcinoma (car-sih-NO-muh).

A sudden loss of vision, or sudden blurred vision, should prompt an emergency call to an ophthalmologist (off-thul-MAHL-uh-jist), a medical doctor who specializes in eye health and disease.

Any injury or other type of trauma to the eyes should be reported to an eye doctor or an emergency facility. Many injuries are minor and don't threaten your vision, but it's always best to seek professional advice.