Low Vision

What is low vision?

Low vision is a vision problem that makes it hard to do everyday activities. It can’t be fixed with glasses, contact lenses, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery.

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

What are the types of low vision?

The type of low vision that you have depends on the disease or condition that caused your low vision. The most common types of low vision are:

• Central vision loss (not being able to see things in the center of your vision)
• Peripheral vision loss (not being able to see things out of the corners of your eyes)
• Night blindness (not being able to see in low light)
• Blurry or hazy vision

What causes low vision?

Various eye conditions can cause low vision, but the most common causes are:

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Cataracts
• Diabetic retinopathy (a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes)
• Glaucoma

Low vision is more common in older adults because many of the diseases that can cause it are more common in older adults. Aging doesn’t cause low vision on its own.

Low vision can also develop due to eye or brain injuries and certain genetic disorders.

How will my eye doctor check for low vision?

Your doctor can check for low vision as part of a dilated eye exam. The exam is simple and painless. The eye exam will require you to read letters that are up close and far away and will check whether you can see things in the center and at the edges of your vision.

Then, eye drops will be given to dilate your pupil and check for other eye problems, including conditions that could cause low vision.

What’s the treatment for low vision?

Unfortunately, low vision is usually permanent. Eyeglasses, medicine, and surgery can’t usually cure low vision but sometimes they can improve vision, help you do everyday activities more easily, or keep your vision from getting worse.

Treatment options will depend on the specific eye condition that caused your low vision. Ask your doctor if there are any treatments that could improve your vision or help protect your remaining vision.

How can I make the most of my remaining sight?

If you have low vision, you can find ways to make the most of your vision and keep doing the things you love to do.
If your vision loss is minor, you may be able to make small changes to help yourself see better. You can do things like:

• Use brighter lights at home or work
• Wear anti-glare sunglasses
• Use a magnifying lens for reading and other up-close activities

If your vision loss is getting in the way of everyday activities, ask your eye doctor about vision rehabilitation. Therapies and training are provided by a specialist to help you learn how to live with your vision loss. This can include things like:

• Training on how to use a magnifying device for reading
• Guidance for setting up your home so you can move around easily
• Sharing resources to help you cope with your vision loss

At Visual Ophthalmology Services, we continuously invest in new technologies and training methods that improve our ability to help people with low vision.

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