What Causes Low Vision?  

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If you have low vision, your eye doctor may have informed you that it is the kind of vision that can’t be corrected with traditional treatments like glasses or contact lenses. While not technically blindness, low vision can greatly impair your quality of life.

What Causes Low Vision?

Low vision can be caused by one thing or by multiple factors. Common causes include:

Diabetes

One of the main symptoms of diabetes is having too much blood sugar. When diabetes is not managed, this chronic condition can lead to diabetic retinopathy. What happens is that the excess sugar in your blood damages the retina. Blood goes to every organ in your body, including your eyes. The presence of excess sugar is very damaging to blood vessels, including the ones in your eyes. This is why diabetes is considered one of the causes of low vision.

Macular Degeneration

Your eyes age along with the rest of your body. Sometimes older folks experience macular degeneration, which is a condition where the vision slowly deteriorates. Lifestyle factors like drinking and smoking and obesity can increase the odds of macular degeneration. Regular visits to your eye doctor can help to catch signs of macular early. Sometimes progression can be thwarted or at least slowed.

Other causes of low vision include:

  • Eye trauma
  • Inherited conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa
  • Brain injury
  • Eye cancer
  • And more

Help For Low Vision

In most cases, low vision cannot be reversed. However, there are some helpful, specialized options available that your eye doctor can help you acquire. These include:

  • Telescopic eyeglasses
  • Special light-filtering lenses
  • Magnifying glasses
  • Computer screen magnifiers
  • Reading prisms
  • And more

Your eye doctor has extensive experience helping those with low vision to enjoy a higher quality of life. Book an appointment now at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina to learn more.

 

What to Expect During a Low Vision Evaluation

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How do you know you could benefit from a low vision exam? A low-vision eye exam is specifically suited to individuals who have certain signs they are suffering from low vision, such as eye fatigue and trouble seeing close-up items. Here are a few questions you may have about what to expect during your low-vision exam with us at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina.

How long will the full evaluation take?

In general, you can expect your low vision exam to take about an hour. Part of that time will be spent discussing your family medical history, your medical history, and your existing and prior optometric health concerns. In order to get a full understanding of what could be affecting your vision, we take our time to get to know your eyes and you.

What aspects of your vision will be tested?

Several types of visual tests will be performed during the low vision exam. In many cases, tests will be individualized depending on what we suspect could be causing your issues. A few examples of tests that may be performed during your low vision exam include:

  • Depth perception tests to examine how your eyes are perceiving depth from various angles
  • Visual field tests to detect issues in either your central or peripheral vision
  • Color vision testing to accurately reveal issues with color perception
  • Visual acuity tests to determine vision capabilities from various distances

By the end of your full exam, we will have a much better understanding of how you see and how we could potentially help.

Contact Us for a Low Vision Evaluation in Charlotte

Low vision issues can affect your quality of life, but we may be able to help. Contact us at the office of The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina to schedule an appointment for your low vision evaluation in Charlotte, NC.