Millions of Americans live with low vision, a visual impairment that can make everyday activities like recognizing faces, reading, or checking text messages challenging. Low vision is not a natural part of aging, though conditions causing it become more common with age. During Low Vision Awareness Month, experts recommend eye exams to detect signs of eye diseases and taking steps to ease daily life for those affected.
Low vision may involve difficulty reading, driving, recognizing faces, distinguishing colors, or seeing screens clearly. Common causes include age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, which can cause vision loss in people with diabetes. Types of low vision include central vision loss, peripheral vision loss, night blindness, and blurry or hazy vision.
Diagnosing low vision involves a comprehensive dilated eye exam, where a doctor checks vision up close and far away, and examines the center and edges of vision. Eye drops widen pupils to check for other eye problems. While low vision is usually permanent, glasses, medicine, or surgery may help with daily activities or slow progression.
For minor vision loss, adjustments like using brighter lights, wearing anti-glare sunglasses, and using magnifiers can help. Changing settings on phones and computers to increase contrast, enlarge text, or enable read-aloud features may also assist. If vision loss interferes with everyday activities, vision rehabilitation services can provide skills and resources to manage daily life and maintain independence.
Vision rehabilitation may include employment and job training, environmental modifications like improving lighting and contrast, assistive devices and technologies such as magnifiers and screen readers, adaptive strategies for daily living, emotional support through counseling or support groups, and transportation and household services. Working closely with an eye doctor or care team is crucial to identify the best services based on individual needs and goals. For additional resources and information on vision rehabilitation, visit nei.nih.gov/VisionRehab.
