Your eye vision is an invaluable asset. In the United States, a person loses his or her vision every 7 minutes. The annual economic impact of vision loss is approximately $51.4 billion, but most importantly there is an invaluable impact on our family and quality of life. Vision problems can turn ordinary pursuits such as driving or reading into an impossible task. Damage to sensitive components of the eye, congenital abnormalities in the shape of the eye, or age-related changes can all contribute to vision loss. Since vision loss can be a gradual process, regular eye exams and vision screenings should be a part of every individual’s personal wellness routine. Some of the vision problems are blurred vision (called refractive errors), glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and age-related macular degeneration. The three most common vision problems are myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Vision problem symptoms can be severe and sudden eye pain, pain reoccurring around the eyes, seeing a “curtain” coming down over your eyes, seeing rainbows or halos around lights, floating “spider webs”, and hazy, blurred, or double vision. How these problems may manifest themselves and the disorders (among others) are explained below:
Blurry vision
Blurry vision may be caused by a wide range of issues, ranging from dry eyes and eye strain to congenital or acquired focusing problems. Chronically dry eyes may make the visual field appear blurry, as well as a refractive error in the cornea or lens known as astigmatism. In some cases, patients recovering from eye surgery may experience blurry vision.
Double vision
Double vision, the perception of two overlapping images, occurs when the two eyes cannot bring their separate images into alignment. It may be the result of dry eyes, cataracts, eye surgery complications, or other issues. In some cases, a neurological injury or disease may create double vision.
Higher-order aberrations
These visual symptoms occur when some irregularity in the lens, cornea or other parts of the eye interferes with the normal passage and refraction of light. Cataract sufferers, for instance, typically see halos around automobile headlights at night. Other aberrations may include starburst patterns, poor night vision, blurring of images, and uncomfortable glare.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is the inability to view close objects in focus. It is usually the result of an abnormal eyeball shape that causes incoming light to reach a focal point that would extend beyond the back of the eye.
Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, occurs when the distance between the front and back of the eye is too great or the cornea has too much curvature. This causes incoming light to reach a focal point before it hits the retina, causing distant objects to appear out of focus.
Peripheral vision loss
Loss of vision around the outer edges of the visual field may occur due to glaucoma, neurological damage, a detached retina, concussions, strokes, and other conditions.
Amblyopia
Amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” occurs when one eye does not develop its visual acuity as thoroughly as the other. It a common childhood issue and can often be corrected with therapies to strengthen the eye.
Contact us immediately if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. We are here to help you maintain your quality of life.