What is Low Vision?

There are plenty of vision problems that we see and treat on a daily basis. The team at our South Dakota eye care center have assisted a number of Williston, ND laser vision correction patients over the years, so we see our fair share of eye problems. Some of them are common and generally easy to treat, such as refractive errors. Others may require different or more involved treatments in order to meet the needs of patients. That’s that case with low vision, a vision condition that many patients are not familiar with or misunderstand. We’d like to take a moment right now to look at low vision and how our doctors help patients address the matter.

About Low Vision

Low vision refers to vision problems that result in diminished vision or blind spots. Total blindness is not low vision since low vision requires a certain amount of vision to be experienced. The low vision may be the result of a health condition like diabetes, a stroke, cancer, or a brain injury.

The problem cannot be corrected through traditional means, so our South Dakota eye doctors and vision experts will carefully determine the cause of your low vision before proceeding with any kind of treatment plan.

How Low Vision Differs from Other Vision Problems

Low vision is a vision problem that cannot be treated through traditional means like other vision problems, as previously stated. The problem also usually develops as a side effect of another health issue rather than do to the eyes themselves. That means that Williston, ND LASIK, corrective lenses, and implantable lenses are not viable treatment options.

Symptoms of Low Vision

There are a few common types of low vision that people experience. Those are:

  • Loss of central vision – This is when a person experiences blind spots in the central portion of the eyes
  • Loss of peripheral vision – This is when a person experiences the loss of vision from the sides and corners of the eyes.
  • Poor night vision – This is when people find it difficult to see in low light situations.
  • Blurry vision – This refers to objects that are near and far seeming out of focus.
  • Hazy vision – This refers to a person’s entire visual field appearing as if it’s covered in a glare.

Treatments to Consider for Low Vision

Since there are different causes of low vision, it’s important that the root cause of the problem be addressed first. Once that is done, the use of special magnifying glasses an reading prisms may be used. Again, since low vision differs from other vision problems, advanced laser vision correction technology isn’t an option in such matters. In addition to magnifying lenses, special text-reading software, screen magnifiers, and goods with large print may be needed.

Other Eye Care Matters to Consider

Obviously there are other important vision issues that our team can attend to. Age-related eye problems such as cataracts or presbyopia, for instance, or other serious eye problems such as glaucoma or retinal detachment. Whatever eye problem you’re dealing with, our team has a solution that can help you. We encourage you to visit our practice if you should have any questions about your vision. We will give you the answers that you need to keep you healthy and enhance your overall quality of life.