What is Vision Loss and Blindness

Blindness is your inability to see, or your lack of vision. When you have a severe case of this condition, you may have the inability to see light. When this happens, it cannot be corrected with eye drops, eyeglasses, contact lenses or other medical therapy.

If you experience sudden vision loss, make sure that you seek immediate medical help. Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center have the best eye doctor in Brooklyn that can help you deal with the most common eye problems. To know more about the different eye conditions, their symptoms, causes, and treatments, contact us at Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center.

Symptoms

Complete blindness means there is total vision loss and your eyes are unable to detect light. But while vision loss develops, you may notice symptoms such as:

  • Blurry vision
  • Pain in and around your eye
  • Floaters
  • Flashers
  • Light sensitivity
  • Sudden vision loss

Causes

There are several causes of blindness, which can include infections, injuries, and medical conditions. Eye infections can often lead to vision loss and eventually blindness. These infections can include:

  • Shingles
  • Rubella
  • Keratitis
  • Uveitis
  • Syphilis

Eye traumas and injuries happen in so many ways. Although most of the time it only affects only one eye, it can still lead to vision loss and complete blindness. These can include damages due to:

  • Fireworks
  • Exposure to toxins
  • Chemical burns
  • Vehicle crashes
  • Sports
  • Accidents

Some medical conditions can also cause blindness, especially when the disease is already severe. These can include:

  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • Cataracts
  • Diabetes-related retinopathy
  • Glaucoma
  • Stroke
  • Anophthalmia
  • Cancer
  • Nutritional deficiencies

Treatments

The type of treatment for vision loss will depend on your condition. Such as:

  • Prescription glasses or contact lenses for conditions affected by refractive errors
  • Medications for conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration
  • Surgery for cataract
  • Corneal transplant for corneal scarring or swelling

Prevention

There are things that you can do to help prevent or reduce your risk of blindness. You can:

  • Eat nutritious food – eat foods that are good and nutritious for your eyes. Salmon and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that are proven to be good for your eye health
  • Control your blood sugar – diabetes is the leading cause of blindness. Consult your medical provider on how to control your blood sugar to prevent vision loss and blindness.
  • Do not smoke – smoking can increase your risk of developing cataracts, optic nerve damage and macular degeneration, thus, increasing your risk of vision loss and blindness too.
  • Protect yourself from eye injuries – always use protective gears when working or playing sports
  • Have regular eye checkups – if you have symptoms of vision loss or blindness, consult your eye doctor immediately to prevent further vision loss

Receiving a blindness diagnosis can be overwhelming because of its scary impact on your life. It is important that you seek immediate help when you see signs and symptoms of vision loss.

At Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center, our ophthalmologists can help treat different eye and vision problems. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212. You can also call us at 1-347-384-5690 or check our website at https://www.ophthalmologybrooklyn.com.