The month of February is marked as the Low Vision Awareness Month so, HVNaija has curated this short-form blog post on the causes and treatment of Low Vision.
What is Low Vision?
Low vision is the term used to describe a significant visual impairment that can’t be fully corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medication, or eye surgery. Low Vision is not classified as blindness because the person experiencing this would still have sight although it might be limited such as blurry vision or poor night vision.
What are the causes of Low Vision?
The following are some of the common causes of Low Vision:
Cataracts – A clouding of the eye’s natural lenses that can lead to frequent vision prescription changes and eventually cloudy, blurry vision.
Macular degeneration – A disease that causes a gradual loss of the central part of a person’s vision.
Diabetic retinopathy – Retina damage caused by diabetes can result in blind spots, blurriness, and visual distortions.
Glaucoma – Retinal damage caused by elevated pressure inside the eye. This causes a gradual loss of peripheral vision.
Retinitis pigmentosa – A deterioration of the retina that reduces peripheral vision and the ability to see in the dark as the condition develops.
Symptoms of Low Vision
People with low vision may experience the following symptoms:
- Loss of central vision
- Night blindness
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Blurred vision
- Hazy vision
What are the treatment options for Low Vision?
It is important to note that Low vision cannot be fully corrected. There are a wide array of devices to help people with low vision, including tinted eyewear to help with light sensitivity and contrast, magnifiers (handheld and for digital or computer use), and large-print reading materials or audio recordings.
Our advice is to pay attention to the littlest of symptoms and seek medical advice when you are in doubt.