Low Vision 

Low Vision is vision loss that can’t be corrected even with glasses, contacts, medication, or surgery. You might have some vision, but it’s hard to do everyday activities like reading, driving, or household chores. It’s more than needing glasses and can cause disability. 

Low vision happens when your glasses-corrected vision in your best eye still measures as 20/70(6/18) or worse. 

"A person with low vision is one who has impairment of visual functioning even after treatment and/or standard refractive correction, and has a visual acuity of less than 6/18 to light perception, or a visual field of less than 10 degrees from the point of fixation, but who uses, or is potentially able to use, vision for planning and/or execution of a task. "  

What causes low vision? 

Many different eye conditions can cause low vision, but the most common causes are:  

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 
• Cataracts 
• Diabetic retinopathy (a condition that can cause vision loss in people with diabetes) 
• Glaucoma 

Low vision is more common in older adults because many of the diseases that can cause it are more common in older adults. Aging doesn’t cause low vision on its own.  

Eye and brain injuries and certain genetic disorders can also cause low vision. 

What are the types of low vision? 

The type of low vision depends on the disease or condition that caused the low vision. The most common types of low vision are:   

• Central vision loss (not being able to see things in the center of your vision) 
• Peripheral vision loss (not being able to see things out of the corners of your eyes) 
• Night blindness (not being able to see in low light) 
• Glare sensitivity, where you are extremely sensitive to normal volumes of light
• Contrast sensitivity, where your eyesight is hazy or cloudy
• Blurry or hazy vision

What’s the treatment for low vision? 

• Unfortunately, low vision is usually permanent. Eyeglasses, medicine, and surgery can’t usually cure low vision — but sometimes they can improve vision, help you do everyday activities more easily, or keep your vision from getting worse.  
• Treatment options will depend on the specific eye condition that caused the low vision.

Low vision aids 

Vision devices are prescription tools that help one see better. There are lots of different types, including: 

• Magnifiers, either handheld or mounted to your glasses
• Telescopes for long-distance sight, which can be handheld or mounted to your glasses
• Digital handheld magnifiers, which magnify objects on a digital screen where you can adjust the brightness and contrast
• Video magnifiers, which are portable or mounted to a table and bigger than a digital magnifier 
• Large-print books and newspapers as well as books on tape, and talking wristwatches.
• Prism glasses and filters of all types.

Low vision rehab 

People with low vision benefit from rehabilitative care. Therapists can help with learning new skills and ways to adapt to low vision. These can include: 

• Orientation and mobility training (to help patients get around safely, making the house more accessible, lighting changes, and technology training).
• Assistive technology. There are lots of electronic devices and apps that help people with low vision. (These range from audiobooks and screen readers to sensing devices and text-to-speech technology).

BOTTOM LINE 

There’s no way to regain vision loss, but people can adapt to low vision and live a full life. Counseling and a good support group can help one with low vision recognize that their value does not depend on vision. (You are worth the effort it takes to learn how to make the most of the vision you have).