Low vision: What you need to know as you age

You believe seeing is believing? As we age, our eyesight can become worse. Low vision can be treated with reading glasses or bifocals. However, if these don’t work, your vision may become blurred and difficult to read and drive. An estimated 4 million Americans have low vision. This is a condition that causes a permanent visual impairment and cannot be corrected by glasses, contact lenses or other medical treatments. Low vision and blindness are two of the most common causes of disability in America.

Nearly 500,000 people were diagnosed with low vision in 2012, and the number is rising at an alarming pace. Recent research shows that the number of people living with low vision and blindness in the future will more than double. In 30 years, there are 2.3 million expected to go blind and over 9.5 million with low vision.

What is low vision?

Visual acuity is a measure of low vision. This is the degree of clarity or sharpness in your vision. If someone claims they have perfect vision of 20/20, this is a measure of their best-corrected visual ability (BCVA). Low vision can be defined in many ways. It could start with a BCVA between 20/40 and 20/60. However, it has become a general term that refers to a visual impairment that impairs your ability to perform daily tasks.

In the definition of low sight, the loss or impairment of the visual field has been included more recently. This means that you can have 20/20 vision but only have partial vision from the sides (peripheral sight), which impacts your ability to live your life.

How can I tell if a friend or I have low vision?

Low vision does not mean you need reading glasses or bifocals. These are natural effects of aging. Low vision can affect daily life in many ways, including glare problems, inability to drive or recognizing family members and friends. Low vision people who do not seek treatment may withdraw from or become less active to avoid these activities.

Are I too young for low vision concerns?

Low vision is often associated with older people due to age-related eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Low vision is less common at 45 than at 75. However, it increases to nearly 5 percent by age 75 and to 15 percent by age 85.

You could be suffering from an age-related vision disease for many years or even decades without experiencing any significant life-altering symptoms. Regular eye exams are essential for diagnosing, managing and living with progressive eye diseases.

When is the best time to visit an optometrist?

Everyone should have their eyes checked at least once per year. You will need to have your eyes checked more often if you have an eye disease. We recommend that you have your vision checked by an optometrist. Your eye doctor can help you to manage and treat vision problems. Sometimes, conditions such as cataracts can be managed easily with glasses or small surgeries. Some conditions, such as diabetic retinalopathy, may require more frequent treatment. This includes injections of medication to the back of the eye. Before you resort to non-optical visual tools or other coping methods for low vision, it is important to carefully evaluate all options. Low vision is preventable. Regular eye exams are important in order to detect any potential problems later on.

How can you assess and treat patients who have low vision?

Patients with poor vision may have trouble moving around their house and performing important tasks. This can lead to a decrease in quality of life. Special care can be provided for low vision patients by specialists. To help them see, they may also need magnifiers and telescopes. To prevent blindness, we recommend that they continue to be seen by an eye doctor. Depending on the severity of the disease, this may happen as often as once every three months.

What are some health tips that can help maintain healthy eyesight?

As important as caring for your whole body, keeping your eyes healthy is equally important. Some general tips include:

  • Healthy eating habits (such as lots of leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale) are important.
  • Exercising regularly
  • Keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water
  • UV protection is recommended when you are out in the sun.
  • Comprehensive eye exams are necessary to protect your eyes from potential underlying conditions.
  • Stop smoking and quit
  • Regular visits to your primary care provider are a good idea.
  • itor for common systemic diseases (such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol)

What are low-vision services? And why should I use them?

Millions of people use low vision rehabilitation services every day to improve their visual abilities. To maximize visual function, we use a combination lighting, lenses, magnifying glasses and other non-optical aids. This allows you to continue participating in everyday activities.

Evidence suggests that low vision services can reduce the chance of death. Low vision can reduce activity and increase the likelihood of medication management. This is an important cause of death for people 65 years and older.

It is vital that people are aware of the help that is available to them in order to maximize their vision and improve their quality life.

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