How to Prevent Sun Damage If You Have Ocular Albinism

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While sun damage is a concern for everyone, ocular albinos have less wiggle room. Here, we’ll look at what to do to block harmful rays and how the right vision specialist in Wilmington, NC may be able to help.

Err on the Side of Caution

The pigment of your eyes is more than just coloring; it’s also the key to sharper acuity and resilience against harsh environments. Ocular albinism carries multiple risks even if you avoid all UV rays, including light sensitivity and loss of vision, but those risks only increase if you sustain sun damage.

To limit damage, ocular albinos should ideally wear multiple layers, such as sunglasses and a visor, even on the cloudiest days. Try to avoid sitting near windows in classrooms or at work to stay away from the sun’s glare. You can also try to avoid sun exposure during peak sun hours (adjust based on sunset times) to protect the retina.

Work with a Specialist

There may not be a cure for ocular albinism, but there are proactive measures that you can take if you want to do more than just hide from the sun. From low-vision aids to tinted glasses, you may have more solutions at your disposal than you realize.

In addition to working with a medical team, regular eye exams can monitor your ocular health and potentially spot issues in their infancy. At The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, our team helps patients with ocular albinism in Wilmington, NC lead fuller lives without necessarily having to sacrifice all of their time outdoors.

Can Sleeping with an Eye Mask Help If I Have Low Vision?

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A sleeping mask in Wilmington, NC can be a huge help for getting a better night’s sleep. It can be used to keep your eyes moist and block out light, which can help you avoid disturbances — especially if you live in an unpredictable household. Here, we’ll look at what a sleeping mask does and, maybe more importantly, what it doesn’t do if you have low vision.

Does a Sleeping Mask Help?

Regardless of the severity of your vision loss, a sleeping mask may help you maintain eye health and promote better sleep. For example, it can make your sleep quality more uniform, ensuring that stray sun beams or harsh lighting won’t crash your REM. A low-vision specialist in Wilmington, NC can tell you that the darker you keep your room while you sleep, the less stress you put on your retina, which can be particularly helpful if you suffer from a disorder like retinopathy.

Can a Sleeping Mask Improve My Vision?

No, a sleeping mask is there to support your eyes as opposed to fix them. Right now, there are no pure cures to pursue if you have low vision, although there are measures that you can take to see better. Devices like prismatic glasses and telescopic lenses can give you back your field of vision, making it possible to enjoy your favorite hobbies again. The right doctor can give you more context about what’s on the market and what it can do for you.

If you’re looking for low-vision aids in Wilmington, NC or you have questions about over-the-counter products, like weighted sleep masks, contact The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina today to speak to our staff and learn more!

 

Do Low-Vision Lenses Protect My Eyes from the Sun?

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If you have normal vision, there’s something of a balance that you need to strike when it comes to sunshine. Some natural light is great for the natural health of your eyes, but too much can cause the retina to burn or the macula to break down.

However, if you have low vision, the stakes change when you head outdoors. Too much UV light can potentially make your eye conditions worse, speeding up the progress of your disorder. Here, we’ll look at what you should know about low-vision and whether lenses offer sufficient protection.

What to Know About Low-Vision and Sunglasses

If you have low-vision in Charlotte, NC, particularly if you have severe low-vision, you may think that UV protection isn’t necessary. However, consider that UV protection can potentially protect the vision that you have left by shielding your eyes from harmful rays. This is why vision aids of any kind, including sunglasses, can be worn by everyone (including the legally blind) to help manage anything from light sensitivity to dust particles in the air.

Do Low-Vision Lenses Offer UV Protection?

Not all low-vision lenses offer UV protection, which is why it helps to talk to an eye doctor in Charlotte, NC about what’s available and which product would work best for your condition.

Whether you’re concerned about object contrast, lens darkness, or glare, contact the team at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina to discuss how each option will impact your visual acuity and whether they can be worn in harsh rays. With our help, you can make full use of the latest technology and learn more about the newest low-vision aids on the market.

Can Dietary Changes Help Me Improve My Low Vision?

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Low vision in Asheville, NC can be caused by any number of factors, including a stroke, ocular albinism, or even blunt trauma. When there are so many potential underlying roots, you may not even consider how nutrition can play a role in how well you see. Here, we’ll look at the facts and whether it makes sense to make a change to your diet.

Can Nutrition Help?

Yes. Upping your intake of foods like kale, sweet potatoes, strawberries, and nuts can provide the necessary vitamins and antioxidants that support eye health, including lutein and Vitamins A, C, and E. As with nearly dietary advice, the goal is to eat a balanced mix of nutrients to support eye health.

How Do Dietary Changes Help with Low Vision?

If you’re interested in how nutritional changes can support low-vision, you should know that it’s a general solution to maintain ocular health, which can help you slow the progression of serious diseases, like age-related macular degeneration. It may not improve your low vision (or, if it does, the changes may be marginal at best).

Seeing a Low-Vision Specialist in Asheville, NC

There’s no doubt that improving your diet is a smart move across the board, no matter what types of health conditions you may be up against — both now and in the future. However, if you’re looking for more targeted solutions — in addition to dietary advice — the best thing to do is see an eye doctor in Asheville, NC who specializes in low vision. For more information, contact the team at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina to learn more about how we can help.

Why Family History Matters If You Have Low-Vision

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The term ‘low vision’ is one that goes beyond the standard descriptions of near-sighted or far-sighted. So, while it’s important to know your family history no matter what type of vision you have, it may matter more if your clan has a stark history of major eye disorders or diseases. Here, we’ll look at the genetic connection and why it may make a difference to your eventual outcome.

Causes of Low Vision: What to Know

Some eye conditions, like myopia, are relatively easy to predict. The odds are defined based on the inherited traits from your parents. However, the major disorders that lead to low vision in Durham, NC, like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, retinal diseases, and cataracts, don’t enjoy the same clear-cut statistics.

What can be said is that nearly every major disorder does seem to have a genetic component, even if that component is by no means a guarantee. For example, if you have a specific type of gene variant, you’re at triple the risk for AMD. If your family has a history of glaucoma, you may be up to nine times more at risk for it.

Finding an Eye Doctor in Durham, NC

How would you know if you had a specific type of gene variant? Most people wouldn’t even know where to start to answer this question. This is just one reason why it helps to speak with a low vision eye doctor in Durham, NC about your history. Ideally, you’ll catch the problem before it becomes a threat, but no matter when you seek help, the right specialist can recommend treatments to manage or improve your condition.

At The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, we’re here to help you sort out the answers.

Talk With Your Eye Doctor about These Three Low Vision Symptoms

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Having any symptom that disturbs your vision can be a jarring experience, whether it comes on gradually or suddenly. Any vision disturbances that stop you from being able to do the things you need to do and enjoy doing because of low vision need to be addressed promptly. Here at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, our eye doctors in Wilmington, Charlotte, Durham, and Asheville urge anyone with the following symptoms to schedule an appointment as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.

Night Blindness

Nyctalopia (night blindness) means that your eyes have a hard time adjusting to light level changes, or that it’s tough to see when the light levels are dim or dark. This is a symptom that can point to several different low-vision eye conditions, including:

  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts
  • A side effect of LASIK
  • Cone-rod dystrophy
  • Retinitis pigmentosa
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Congenital stationary night blindness

It’s important to visit your eye doctor for a diagnosis of why this symptom is occurring to receive appropriate vision care.

Loss of Central or Peripheral Vision

If your field of view starts to fade and disappear in the center so that only your side view remains, schedule an appointment at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina right away. This is a serious vision symptom that could have many different causes, including macular degeneration.

If you start losing detail and clarity in your side view field of vision (peripheral vision or “tunnel vision”), a wide range of general health conditions and vision-specific conditions could be in play, including high blood pressure, concussions, retinal detachment, glaucoma, diabetes-related retinopathy, and more.

Blurry Vision

When your field of vision loses its sharp, crisp quality and things look fuzzy or blurry, a wide range of conditions could be in play, from age-related vision loss or screen-related eye strain to migraines and retinal detachment. If the blurriness does not go away after resting your eyes for a while, it’s important to talk with your eye doctor.

Call the Eye Doctors Charlotte, Wilmington, Durham, and Asheville Neighbors Trust

No matter what symptoms of low vision you’re experiencing, we urge you to schedule an appointment with the North Carolina eye doctors at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina nearest you. We can help folks with low vision experience a marked improvement in their quality of life and ability to see with specially-designed glasses.

 3 Signs of Low Vision to Watch For As You Get Older

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Low vision is a condition that can cause difficulty in everyday activities. As you get older, you’re more likely to experience low vision. If you have this problem, your eye doctor in Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville, and Durham, NC, can help.

Knowing the signs of low vision is the first step. If you believe that you have low vision, you can get help from a professional. Below, we’ve listed some of the common signs that you have low vision. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Difficulty Seeing At Night

Many people who have low vision have difficulty seeing at night. If your night vision is so poor that you are uncomfortable going outdoors or avoiding activities that would involve being outside at night, then you may have low vision.

2. Difficulty with Reading, Driving, and Cooking

Everyday activities like reading, driving, and cooking require you to see well. If these activities used to be easy and are now difficult for you, this could be due to low vision. Your eye doctor may be able to help with prescription lenses tailored to your needs.

3. Bumping Into Things

Do you feel like you bump into things more than you used to? This could be due to low vision. This can be dangerous, especially if you’re living on your own. Get help from a professional.

If you think you need low vision treatment in Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville, and Durham, NC, don’t wait to get help. The professionals at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina are here to diagnose and treat your condition.

For low vision treatment in Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville, and Durham, NC, call today.

What Are Side-Vision Awareness Glasses?

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If you’re concerned about your peripheral vision, especially if you’re still driving or out on crowded city streets, Side-Vision Awareness Glasses (SVAG) can give you back some of your confidence without having to wear an especially thick or obvious pair of glasses. Here, we’ll look at what they are, how they were developed, and who you can turn to if you’re interested in the product.

How Side-Vision Awareness Glasses Work

Side-Vision Awareness Glasses in Charlotte, NC are a specialized pair of glasses developed by Dr. Rummel. After Dr. Rummel spent years treating people with brain injuries, including stroke, he was frustrated by the available options on the market to help people improve their side-vision.

His product is a result of tireless efforts and relies on shifting visual information from the sides to the central line of vision. This enhances the wearer’s understanding of both fixed and moving objects, which can help them stay safer and more aware in any given situation.

Is SVAG the Best Solution?

SVAG came out ahead when compared with other types of glasses, including Fresnel lens glasses, which work more to refocus light than to improve your side-vision. In addition, most people prefer the look of SVAG because they look more like traditional glasses than specialty glasses.

If you’re interested in SVAG, contact The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina to learn more about whether you’re a good candidate. Here, you’ll meet eye doctors in Charlotte, NC who specialize in low-vision, no matter where it originates. After helping an array of people, we understand not just how low-vision can manifest, but which products and solutions work better for each patient!

Is Low Vision Preventable?

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Low vision is more than a nuisance. The name suggests a relatively innocuous condition where a person might not see perfectly. But the complexities of this condition are much more insidious, affecting a person’s ability to live the highest possible quality of life, sometimes preventing them from engaging in common activities that others often take for granted. Given the seriousness of low vision, one might wonder if it’s preventable.

Is Low Vision Preventable?

There are multiple factors that can happen where a person develops low vision, which can be diagnosed by a Wilmington, NC optometrist. Some common causes are:

  • glaucoma
  • cataracts
  • diabetic retinopathy
  • lazy eye
  • macular degeneration
  • and many more

Many of the factors that can be an underlying reason for low vision are theoretically preventable. But in some cases, the odds may be stacked against a person for avoiding low vision.

When Low Vision May Not be Preventable

Some causes of low vision are congenital; that is, a person may be born with certain conditions that either mean they’re born with low vision or they’re born with conditions that will cause them to develop it later in life.

Healthy Lifestyle and Low Vision

If a person has a predisposition toward low vision, adopting a healthy lifestyle in a consistent manner may work to help them avoid this condition from developing. Positive lifestyle habits would include:

  • avoidance of excess in food and alcohol
  • avoidance of tobacco use in any form
  • regular exercise
  • and similar

While a person may or may not be able to prevent low vision, they can certainly get treatment for low vision in Wilmington, NC. There are rehabilitation techniques that can be practiced, as well as devices that have been invented for the explicit purpose of aiding those with low vision. If you or a loved one is in need of treatment for this condition, contact us today to book an appointment.

Treatment Options for Low Vision

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Low vision can be a debilitating concern. Many patients with low vision feel that there is little hope for them to be able to see again. However, with the help of Dr. Edward Paul, OD, PhD and the team at The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, you can get help for your low vision. Here are some popular treatment options for low vision.

Telescopic Glasses

Telescopic glasses are specially designed glasses for people with a visual acuity of 0.3 or lower. They have thick, heavy lenses with a magnification area added to them that will zoom in on what the person is looking at. The wearer simply positions their head to look through this telescopic lens to see better what they are looking at. With the help of Dr. Paul, patients with low vision can read and play music, drive, and watch television.

Side Vision Awareness Glasses

Another concern that people with low vision may have is a lack of peripheral vision. Side Vision Awareness Glasses treat this type of low vision, helping bring the side vision into the patient’s primary viewing area so that they can see what is happening on their peripheral. At The Low Vision Centers of North Carolina, we are specially trained to provide patients with the Vision Awareness Glasses System.

Low Vision Rehabilitation

Sometimes, the key to treating low vision is not special glasses, but actually supportive care and lifestyle changes. Sometimes, environmental modifications and nutritional or lifestyle counseling can bring enough positive change to help you adapt to your low vision concerns. Our low vision rehabilitation specialists will help you evaluate the types of changes that will work best for you.

Help for low vision is available. Contact Dr. Edward Paul, OD, PhD to schedule an evaluation appointment today.