Low Vision: What It Is, What Causes It, and Why Early Detection Matters
February is Low Vision Awareness Month. Low vision is a visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected with glasses, contacts, or other standard treatments, like medicine or surgery. One common cause of low vision is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), making it fitting that February is also AMD Awareness Month.
Understanding Low Vision
Johns Hopkins Medicine defines low vision as a disabling visual impairment that interferes with your ability to function in daily life and cannot be corrected with traditional visual aids.1 People living with low vision may find it difficult to read, drive, recognize faces, or differentiate between colors.
Symptoms of Low Vision
Low vision can affect different people in different ways. According to the Cleveland Clinic2, those living with low vision may experience a loss of:
- Central Vision: The ability to see things in the center of your vision
- Peripheral Vision: The ability to see things out of the corners of your eyes
- Depth Perception: The ability to judge the distance between objects
- Night Vision: The ability to see at night or in low light
- Contrast Sensitivity: The ability to distinguish objects in the foreground from objects of the same shade in the background
- Glare Resistance: The ability to function in bright light
Causes of Low Vision
Low vision is most associated with older individuals, as it’s typically caused by age-related eye conditions. However, low vision can also be attributed to chronic conditions, injuries, and congenital defects. Common causes of low vision include:
- AMD: Commonly affecting people over the age of 50, AMD causes a gradual loss of central vision.
- Glaucoma: Glaucoma damages the optic nerve and is a leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 60.
- Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): A common complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness among working age adults, DR can cause blurred vision, large floating spots, and partial or complete vision loss.
- Cataracts: One of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60, cataracts occur when the eye’s natural lenses become cloudy, causing things to look blurry, hazy, or less colorful.
Managing Low Vision
Often, the first step in managing low vision is a specialized low vision exam. Unlike a standard exam, this assessment focuses on maximizing a patient’s remaining sight. It typically includes questions about how low vision affects daily activities and the use of specialized test charts to evaluate visual acuity. Physicians may also assess field of vision, eye muscle function, glare sensitivity, and other factors that impact vision.2
Innovations Supporting Low Vision and Early Diagnosis
Though low vision cannot be corrected with glasses, contacts, medicine, or surgery, there are tools and techniques that can help individuals make the most of their remaining sight, such as electronic magnifiers, screen readers, and other assistive technologies designed to support daily activities. In addition, innovations focused on early detection are helping prevent vision loss before it occurs. For example, people living with diabetes can now be tested for DR at the point-of-care using AI solutions like LumineticsCore®, which can enable earlier diagnosis and timely referral for follow-up treatment—when intervention is most effective.
Observe Low Vision Awareness Month with an Eye Exam
Low Vision Awareness Month doesn’t simply provide an opportunity to acknowledge the challenges faced by those living with low vision. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of eye health. Regular eye exams are the first line of defense in detecting and managing eye conditions that could lead to low vision. This month, prioritize your vision by scheduling a comprehensive eye exam.
Request a demo to see how you can integrate LumineticsCore into your practice and help more patients keep their vision.