There are literally hundreds of eye and vision problems. Some are incurable but many others can be treated. In the United States, an estimated 3.4 million individuals who are at least 40 years old meet the definition of “legal blindness” which is can be either of the following:
- You have a vision of 20/200 or less in your better eye
- You have a 20 degree field of vision (you need to stand 20 feet away if an object is 200 feet away in order to see it clearly)
An estimated 7% of kids in the US under 18 have been diagnosed with an eye condition or disease and almost 3% have impaired vision.
The following are the four most common eye conditions that may lead to loss of vision:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Macular degeneration
Cataract
Cataracts are the #1 leading cause of blindness in the United States and around the world. It is characterized by clouding of the lens of the eye/s. Cataracts can occur at any age and some may even have it at birth, but are more prevalent in those who are over 50.
Cataract symptoms include:
- Cloudy vision
- Blurry vision
- Glare around lights during night time
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Need for bright light in order to read
- Color changes
- Frequent eyeglass prescription changes
Glaucoma
Glaucoma results from high fluid pressure in the eye which results in damaged optic nerve. When this happens the visual information that is transmitted to the brain gets affected. Untreated glaucoma leads to vision loss and blindness.
There are two kinds of glaucoma. Closed-angle glaucoma happens suddenly and causes loss of vision quickly, while open-angle glaucoma develops gradually and oftentimes it only gets detected when the disease is in the late stages. Glaucoma often runs in families.
Glaucoma symptoms include:
- Eye pain
- Eye pressure
- Headaches
- Red eyes
- Rainbow-colored halos when looking at lights.
- Blurred vision
- Tunnel vision
- Low vision
- Blind spots
- Nausea and vomiting
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is among the leading causes of blindness in adults in the United States. It is a disease that is brought about by ongoing damage to the retina’s blood vessels due to long-term uncontrolled glucose levels in the blood. Most people who have diabetic retinopathy do not experience vision changes until the condition has progressed.
Diabetic Retinopathy symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Distorted vision
- New color blindness
- Seeing streaks or small dark spots
- Poor night vision
- Trouble seeing faraway objects
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration (usually referred to as age-related macular degeneration or AMD) damages the macula, which is the central portion of the retina that enables you to see fine details. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60. There are 2 kinds of AMD – wet and dry. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula leaking blood resulting in loss of central vision. Dry AMD, on the other hand, causes the thinning of the macula, which blurs the central vision gradually.
AMD symptoms include:
- Blurred central vision
- Dark spots in your field of vision
- Curved appearance to straight lines
It’s not yet too late to start taking care of your eyes. You can consult an eye expert at Costco Eye Exam clinic regularly to prevent these conditions or help you manage it so it doesn’t worsen.