4 Main Causes of Low Vision

Low vision is a visual impairment that makes performing everyday activities difficult, resulting in a loss of quality of life. Learn about the causes of low vision and how our Calgary optometrists can help resolve any issues you may have.

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Low vision is a visual impairment that cannot be corrected with contact lenses, eyeglasses, medicine, or surgery. This can affect an individual’s life significantly as it makes it hard to perform everyday activities, including:

• Driving
• Recognizing faces
• Reading
• Watching TV
• Use a computer

In addition to this, a person who has low vision may be at a higher risk for falls, which is why it’s important to visit a low vision specialist who can help you function at your best with your vision loss.

 

We Can Help With Your Low Vision Needs at our Calgary Eye Clinic

At My Optometrist Calgary, not only do we believe in the importance of uncomplicated access to healthcare, but we also deeply believe that knowledge is power. By educating our patients, we aim to empower them to manage their ocular health and make informed decisions about their visual devices.

Want to know how we can help with your low vision needs?

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What is a Low Vision Optometrist?

A low vision optometrist is one that has the knowledge and training to assist patients with low vision by assessing their visual needs and making recommendations for glasses, lenses, and any visual aids that will help improve their quality of life.

Such a professional can help in the examination, treatment, and management of patients with eye conditions that are not treatable or correctable by surgery, glasses, or medicine.

By training patients in the use of magnifiers and high powered lenses, they can help you function at your best with your vision loss.

Do I Need to See a Low Vision Optometrist?

If you are suffering from low vision and you’re wondering if it’s time to see an optometrist, you should ask yourself these three questions:

• Do I have trouble seeing things I want to see?
• Have I stopped doing something I love because of my vision loss?
• Am I willing to use a device to help me see, even if it looks different from eyeglasses?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then it may be time to visit a low vision optometrist. Remember, starting rehabilitation early on allows you to achieve familiarity with using such devices before your vision further deteriorates.

 

What Causes Low Vision?

Low vision refers to a visual impairment that cannot be corrected through surgery, contact lenses, glasses, or medication. In most cases, it is characterized by partial sight and can affect people of all ages, but it is most prevalent in older adults.

Here are some causes of low vision:

1. Macular Degeneration: This is a disorder that affects the retina. It causes the macula to deteriorate, resulting in blurred vision. This is the leading cause of low vision in people over the age of 60 and accounts for nearly half of all low vision cases in adults.
2. Diabetic retinopathy: Diabetes can cause the blood vessels that nourish the linings of the retina to develop abnormal branches that leak, interfering with your vision, and over time, it can cause severe damage to the retina, resulting in low vision.
3. Glaucoma: Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, which occurs as a result of increasing internal pressure in the eye. If left untreated, and the damage worsens, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss and even total blindness within a few years.
4. Retinal detachment: This is when your retina detaches from its underlying layer, causing visual impairment. Causes of this include eye trauma, infection, and blood vessel disturbance.

Low Vision Care in Calgary

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Alternatively, you can contact our clinics at 403-256-0606 (Health First Optometry), 403-291-0923 (Sunridge Vision Centre), or 403-443-2040 (Three Hills Optometry).