Low Vision?

Rotary eye helps with a vision problem that makes it hard to do everyday activities and everyday regular routine. It cannot be fixed with glasses, contact lenses, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery. You may have low vision if you cannot see well enough to do things like reading and driving.

Low vision is the loss of sight that is not correctible with doctor-prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery. There is no fear because this type of vision loss does not include complete blindness, because there is still some sight and it can sometimes be improved with the use of visual aids. Low visions are including different degrees of sight loss from blind spots, poor night vision, and problems with a glare to an almost complete loss of sight. The American Optometric Association defines low vision into two categories:

• “Partially sighted”: The person has visual acuity between 20 out of 70 and 20 out of 200 with conventional prescription lenses.
• “Legally blind”: The person has visual acuity no better than 20 out of 200 with conventional correction and/or a restricted field of vision less than 20 degrees wide. The ratio of measurement of vision describes the visual acuity and the sharpness of vision at 20 feet from an object. These are usually the result of disorders or injuries affecting the eye or a disorder such as diabetes that affects the person’s body. Some of the common causes of low vision include age-related like macular degeneration, diabetes, and glaucoma. Low vision can also be the result of cancer of the eye, albinism, brain injuries, or inherited disorders of the eye including retinitis pigmentosa. If you have to problem with these disorders or are at risk for them then you are also at greater risk for low vision. Some sight disorders, like diabetes-related retinopathy, can be treated to restore or maintain vision. When this is not possible there will be low vision is permanent. However, many people with low vision find visual aids helpful.

Some sight disorders like diabetes-related retinopathy can be treated by restoring or maintaining vision. When this is not possible then low vision is permanent. Popular low-vision aids include:

• Telescopic glasses.
• Lenses that filter light.
• Magnifying glasses.
• Hand magnifiers.
• Closed-circuit television.
• Reading prisms.

Some patients facing retinitis pigmentosa who have no useful vision may be eligible for the Argus retinal prosthesis. These devices partially restore vision to patients who have lost their sight and have problems with their eyes. In some patients, the restored vision allows for them to independently navigate through doorways and sidewalks, sort light and dark-colored laundry, or even read large letters. Nonoptimal aids are designed for people whose problems with low vision and are also very helpful. Some popular non-optical devices include:

• Text reading software.
• Check guides.
• High-contrast clocks and watches.
• Talking watches and clocks.
• Large print publications.

Clocks, phones, and watches with enlarged numbers.

Macular Degeneration causes low vision:

• Dry macular degeneration is a common eye disorder among people over 50. It causes blurred or reduced central vision due to the breaking down of the inner layers of the macula. The macula is part of the retina that gives the eye clear vision in the direct line of sight.
• Dry macular degeneration symptoms usually develop gradually and without pain. They may include:
• Visual distortions, such as straight lines seeming bent.
• Reduced central vision in one or both eyes.
• The need for brighter light when reading or doing close-up work.
• Increased difficulty adapting to low light levels, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant or theatre.
• Increased blurriness of printed words.
• Difficulty recognizing faces.
• A well-defined blurry spot or a blind spot in the field of vision.

Diabetic Retinopathy causes Low Vision:

Diabetic retinopathy is caused when high blood sugar damages blood vessels in the retina (a light-sensitive layer of cells in the back of the eye). Damaged blood vessels can swell and leak causing blurry vision or stopping blood flow.

Symptoms:

You might not have symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. As the condition progresses, you might develop:

• Spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters)
• Blurred vision
• Fluctuating vision
• Dark or empty areas in your vision
• Vision loss

Cataracts cause Low vision:

Cataracts are one of the main causes of vision loss in people over the age of 45. The condition is that gradual so their symptoms may not even be noticed in the beginning.

Signs and symptoms of cataracts include:

• Clouded, blurred, or dim vision
• Increasing difficulty with vision at night
• Sensitivity to light and glare
• Need for brighter light for reading and other activities
• Seeing “halos” around lights
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Fading or yellowing of colors
• Double vision in a single eye

Glaucoma causes Low Vision:

• Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy characterized by elevated intraocular pressure leading to visual field loss. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally.

Symptoms:

Most people with open-angle glaucoma don’t have symptoms. If symptoms do develop, it’s usually late in the disease. That’s why glaucoma is often called the “sneak thief of vision.” The main sign is usually a loss of side, or peripheral, vision. Symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma usually come on faster and are more obvious. Damage can happen quickly. If you have any of these symptoms, get medical care right away:

• Seeing halos around lights
• Vision loss
• Redness in your eye
• The eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
• Upset stomach or Vomiting
• Eye pain