Vision impairment is when a person’s vision does not work as well as it should. The most common reason for this worldwide is when people need corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) but do not have access to them.
People with vision impairment can be classified as either near-sighted or far-sighted. Near-sighted people can see close objects clearly but have difficulty seeing objects farther away. Far-sighted people can see far away objects clearly but have difficulty with closer objects.
People with vision impairment can also lose all or part of their visual field. The visual field is everything a person can see, including in their peripheral vision. A loss in part of the visual field means a person must turn their head to be able to see objects clearly.
Some common causes of visual impairment include:
Some risk factors for vision impairment include:
An optician or ophthalmologist performs an eye examination which usually includes:
An eye exam may also include use of a slit lamp, a special instrument that allows the provider to see to the back of the eye. This is most effective with dilated pupils.
Treatment depends on the cause of visual impairment. For refractive errors, a prescription for glasses or contact lenses is often sufficient. A person may otherwise be given eye drops or other types of medications. Some types of visual impairment are permanent.
Visual impairment has several potential complications, including:
In children with visual impairment, potential complications include:
The best way to maintain eye health is to get regular eye exams, wear corrective lenses if needed and maintain good eating habits.