Visual impairment: what you need to know

There is no doubt that there are many reasons that lead to some people suffering from visual impairment, so what are the possible ways to treat visual impairment? Visual impairments are a variety that people may be affected by, such as blurring of vision, long or short-sightedness, and low vision problems that occur when the eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina, so we advise those who suffer from this problem to go to the doctor for treatment.  

Visual impairment

There is no doubt that regular eye examinations are important to maintain eye health, and are often once a year, but it is more preferred for those over 65 years of age. If a routine test indicates that you have low vision, this will require wearing corrective glasses or contact lenses, and in many cases, surgical correction can be done with LASIK. The traditional treatment of visual impairment for disorders that include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism usually relies on corrective lenses and eyeglasses. The treatment of visual impairment caused by disorders including cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment requires advanced medical and surgical treatments, and tremendous advances have been made in eye surgery over the past few decades. There are also some non-optical objects designed for people with low vision. They are very useful for them as they improve vision and quality of life and help treat visual impairment. Some common non-optical devices include the following:

• Text reading software.
• High contrast watches.
• talking watches.
• Large print publications.
• Watches, phones, and wristwatches with magnified numbers.

 

Prevention of visual impairment

Overall, these important steps can prevent vision impairment:

• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Make sure to update your glasses or contact lenses if you need them.
• Quit Smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
• Keep your blood sugar under control if you have diabetes.

In addition to these preventive measures, it is preferable to eat these foods that may help in the treatment and prevention of visual impairment, as follows:

• Red pepper: Provides you with vitamin C, which is important for the blood vessels in your eyes, and it also reduces the risk of developing cataracts.
• Sunflower seeds and nuts: They contain vitamin E, which can help slow the degeneration of macular degeneration and prevent cataracts, especially hazelnuts and peanuts.
• Dark leafy vegetables: such as kale and spinach, which are rich in vitamin C and E, and carotenoids, contribute to reducing the risk of long-term eye diseases.
• Salmon: The retina needs omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and trout.
• Orange vegetables: Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, and mango are high in beta-carotene, which helps with night vision and your eyes' ability to adapt to darkness.

 

Visual impairment types

The main types of visual impairment are as follows:

• Nearsightedness

This occurs as a result of images being focused in front of the retina rather than on it, so distant objects appear blurred.

• Farsightedness

​The opposite of nearsightedness, the eye focuses images slightly behind the retina, which makes nearby objects appear blurry, and children may outgrow farsightedness as they mature.

• Presbyopia

Presbyopia is the blurring of vision in people who have a deficit in the focusing power of the eye so that their eyesight is unable to read.

Presbyopia begins around age 40, which is why most older adults rely on reading glasses. Bifocals allow the wearer to see things clearly and closely.

 

Visual impairment symptoms

Visual impairment constitutes many symptoms, including:

• Sudden sharp pain in the eye.
• Blurry, blurred, or double vision.
• Seeing flashes of light or sudden bright floating spots.
• Seeing rainbows or halos around lights.
• Sensitivity to light or glare.
• Eye swelling and redness.
• Itching, burning, or thick discharge in the eyes.

 

Optic neuritis symptoms

The general symptoms of optic neuritis are as follows:

• Temporary vision loss: It is usually only one eye, and it may be blurring of vision or the presence of a completely dark point, and this can last for two weeks sometimes.
• Pain around the eyes: This pain increases with eye movement.
• Loss of color discrimination: They may appear differently from normal and you may be unable to distinguish between some colors.
• Illumination in the eye: where lights and flashes appear when moving the eye.
• Low vision: difficulty inside vision occurs, and a hole in the central field of vision may appear.

 

Optic neuritis causes

The exact causes of optic neuritis are not yet clear, and some believe that the infection occurs when the immune system develops a fight against the substance that coats the optic nerves. But there are some causes that are believed to lead to optic neuritis, which includes:

• Multiple sclerosis.
• Bacterial infections, such as Lyme disease.
• Viral infections, such as herpes, measles, and mumps.
• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, sarcoid, and optic neuritis.
• Some types of medication, such as Antibiotics, may sometimes be associated with optic neuritis.

 

Optic neuritis treatment

Vision loss from optic neuritis is usually temporary and gets better on its own after several weeks or months without treatment, Unfortunately in some cases, the loss of vision may be permanent. For other symptoms, if they are severe, that is, if they involve both eyes, the doctor may prescribe steroid medications that help speed up the treatment process, but do not treat the eye itself. On the other hand, long-term use of steroid medications may leave unwanted side effects, such as weight gain, bone problems, and high blood sugar levels. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe other medications, such as intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), or vitamin B12 injections.  

Magrabi’s advice

Visual impairments are a variety that people may be affected by, such as blurring of vision, long or short-sightedness, and low vision problems that occur when the eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina, so we advise those who suffer from this problem to go to the doctor for treatment.