The Causes and Symptoms of Low Vision—and the Treatments Available

February is Low Vision Awareness Month, so we’re spreading the word about this condition—and the good news about vision rehabilitation.

Low vision is not the same as blindness, since limited sight remains. It is also different from “presbyopia,” which is the decreasing ability to focus on near objects that tends to happen naturally as one ages after forty.

This brief video from the National Eye Institute offers a quick summary answer to the question, “What is low vision?” And, in this blog, we’re going to dig a little deeper—from defining the condition to listing symptoms to offering treatment options.

What Is Low Vision?

Low vision makes it difficult to do everyday activities. You may have low vision if you can’t see well enough to do things like:

• Read
• Drive
• Recognize people’s faces
• Tell colors apart
• See your television or computer screen clearly

Your central or peripheral vision (or both) may be reduced, and medicine, surgery, regular glasses, and contact lenses may not help. Diagnosis requires a dilated eye exam, and treatment usually includes vision aids and rehabilitation.

The American Optometric Association will sometimes delineate low vision into two categories:

• 1. Partially Sighted: The person has visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 with conventional prescription lenses.
• 2. “Legally” Blind: The person has visual acuity no better than 20/200 with conventional correction and/or a restricted field of vision less than 20 degrees wide.

According to the National Eye Institute, millions of people in the United States live with a visual impairment that makes it difficult to do everyday activities like driving, reading, or cooking. Unfortunately, low vision can’t be fixed with glasses, contacts, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery. But there is hope! Keep reading to learn more.

What Causes Low Vision?

Saint Luke’s explains how low vision can be caused by a number of diseases in the eye:

Blood vessels nourish the retina (the inside lining of the eye where light is focused). Blood vessels may become weak and leak fluid into the eye. Also, blood flow in blood vessels may decrease in some diseases. This causes a lack of oxygen to the retina.

• The macula is the part of the retina that is responsible for clear, sharp vision. It may break down, also causing loss of central vision.
• The optic nerve carries signals from the retina to the brain. It may be damaged by increased eye pressure. It may be unable to send messages to the brain.
• An injury to your eye can also result in low vision. And some people are born with low vision.

This is a three-quarter view of a cross-sectioned eye showing normal anatomy.

 

A variety of conditions and injuries can result in low vision for anyone of any age. However, it’s more common in adults over the age of 45, and even more common for people over 75. This is due to age-related disorders such as glaucoma and macular degeneration that also affect vision.

What Are the Symptoms of Low Vision?

The symptoms of low vision depend on the cause of your vision loss and where the problem is in your eye.

Symptoms can include:

• Seeing blank spots, dark spots, or wavy lines
• Experiencing blurred, hazy, or cloudy vision
• Having double vision
• Losing peripheral vision
• Being unable to distinguish colors or facial features
• Losing depth perception

Here’s an example of what life may look like to someone with low vision:

 

Because low vision can limit a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks, it can also become dangerous for them to drive a vehicle. But low vision does not mean you have to be a prisoner in your own home. Thankfully, AARP offers people with low vision suggestions on how to travel safely.

Here is an infographic from The Vision Council, Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, and Prevent Blindness America that demonstrates the signs of low vision and the possible distortions it may cause.

 

See the full infographic here for additional details and helpful information.

 

What Can Be Done About Low Vision?

It’s best to visit a low vision specialist to accurately diagnose and treat your particular condition. The specialist might recommend one or all of the following to assist you:

• Magnifiers
• Special Eyewear
• Mini-telescopes mounted on eyewear
• Closed-circuit TV (also called video magnifiers)

Treatment options will depend on the specific eye condition that caused your low vision. However, it’s equally important to help protect your remaining vision, so you can continue to enjoy your life.

If the vision loss is minor, you may be able to make small changes to protect and preserve your sight. These suggestions include using brighter lights at home and work, wearing anti-glare sunglasses, and using a magnifying lens for reading and other up-close activities.

Medical Seating That’s Ideal for Eye Surgical Procedures

If the diagnosis is not low vision, but a disease that can be treated with surgery, Champion’s TMM5 PLUS is a must-have in ophthalmic settings. This innovative procedure chair enables facilities to streamline the treatment process and surgical flow by replacing multiple pieces of equipment with a single device.

The TMM5’s dual articulating headpiece makes it an optimal choice for most neck-up surgical procedures, which is why it is commonly used in ophthalmic surgeries.

In the seated position, Champion’s procedure chairs require half the space of a traditional stretcher and are easy to navigate through hallways, elevators and other close quarters. Plus, the small footprint frees up floor space so additional units can be stored more efficiently.

For more information about the TMM5 Plus, to request a free demo, or to receive a quote, contact us today.