Vision Impairment and Blindness

Vision impairment, or low vision, means that even with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, you don't see well. Vision impairment can range from mild to severe. The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the United States are age-related eye diseases: macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma. Other eye disorders, eye injuries and birth defects can also cause vision loss. 

A loss of vision means that you may have to reorganize your life and learn new ways of doing things. If you have some vision, visual aids such as special glasses and large print books can make life easier. There are also devices to help those with no vision, like text-reading software and braille books.

Sometimes, vision loss is preventable. Regular comprehensive eye exams and prompt treatment are critical.

Prevention

Prevention of common causes of eye pain starts with eye protection.
  • Wear goggles while working with hand tools, power tools, industrial chemicals, or when there is a chance of getting chemicals, debris, or small particles in the eye.
  • Wear safety glasses while playing sporting activities, such as basketball, racquetball, and tennis. Also, appropriate headgear should be worn, such as a safety helmet at work when needed, a helmet for playing baseball, and a face mask for playing hockey.
  • When using potent chemicals, such as cleaning fluids, ammonia, and detergents, read the instructions carefully. Also, when using spray chemicals, it is important to point the nozzle away from the eyes at all times.
  • Children at play often sustain eye injuries. These injuries can result from spring-loaded toys that shoot darts and other objects, plastic swords, and BB guns. Young children can also injure their eyes as a result of fireworks mishaps. Close parental supervision can often prevent these injuries.
  • Prevent eye injuries while performing gardening and lawn care activities by picking up rocks and sticks before mowing and watching for low-hanging branches and trees while mowing.
  • If you wear contact lenses, use proper routine eye care to prevent contact lens-related eye injuries. People who wear contact lenses should follow their eye doctor's instructions carefully for removing, applying, and washing their contact lenses.

Medical Treatment

Treatment at your ophthalmologist's office or at an emergency department will vary widely, from giving you instructions to apply warm compresses on a sty or a chalazion to taking you into emergency surgery for acute glaucoma.
  • Conjunctivitis: The bacterial form is treated with antibiotic eyedrops, eye ointment, and pain medication. Viral conjunctivitis (pinkeye) is typically treated the same as bacterial conjunctivitis, because it may be difficult to tell the difference between bacterial versus viral infections. Allergic conjunctivitis is normally treated with antihistamines, such as Benadryl or non-sedating antihistamines.
  • Corneal abrasions and ulcerations: These are treated with antibiotic eye drops (to prevent infection), eye ointment, and pain medication.
  • Foreign body in the eye: There are different techniques to remove foreign bodies: irrigation with eye wash, removal with a cotton tip applicator, removal with a small needle, or removal with an ophthalmologic drill. After foreign body removal, there may be an abrasion or a rust ring (rust from a metal foreign body), which would be treated separately.
  • Chemical eye burns and corneal flash burns: Chemical eye burns are treated immediately with great amounts of water to wash out the eye and anesthetic eye drops until normal levels of acid or alkali of the eye are reached. The acid or alkali levels will be checked with a special paper called pH paper. After thorough washing is complete and the pH is normal, evaluation by an ophthalmologist is required for further treatment, depending on the extent of the chemical burn. Flash burns are treated as many small abrasions with antibiotic eyedrops, eye ointment, and pain medication. Typically, follow up with an ophthalmologist is recommended.
  • Blepharitis: You will be instructed to scrub the eyelid edges with mild shampoo like baby shampoo on a soft washcloth twice a day to remove excess oil.
  • Styes or chalazions: These can initially be treated conservatively by placing warm compresses, such as a washcloth that has been warmed with hot water, on the eye or eyes for 15 to 20 minutes, four times a day. An antibiotic ointment can be applied. If the chalazion does not go away in three to four weeks, your ophthalmologist may open it up so the infection can drain out.
  • Glaucoma: Glaucoma has many treatment options depending on the type, severity, and duration of the attack. Severe glaucoma can be a true eye emergency with permanent eye damage occurring within several hours. Treatment typically begins with eye drops containing a topical beta-blocker [for example, timolol (Timoptic)], a topical steroid drop, and a pupillary constricting eyedrop; other medicines may be given intravenously or in pill form. If these treatments fail to decrease intraocular eye pressure, surgery may be considered.
  • Iritis: This condition may be treated with eyedrops that cause your pupils to dilate (get bigger) and with topical steroid eyedrops. In severe cases of iritis, oral steroids may be used.
  • Optic neuritis: Gradual loss of vision and painful eye movement are normally signs of a disease throughout the body, which needs to be diagnosed and treated. Most commonly, a thorough work-up needs to be performed with both ophthalmologists and neurologists to determine the cause of optic neuritis.
  • Sinusitis: When sinusitis is determined to be a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics.
  • Migraines: When migraines cause eye pain, both can be treated with routine over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen (Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), as well as with prescription migraine medications.
  • Traumatic events to the eye: Penetrating injuries to the globe of the eye are always best managed by ophthalmologists and require immediate evaluation in the emergency department.

Eye Pain Treatment Self-Care at Home

Seek medical attention if you have eye pain.
  • Most commonly, home care consists of flushing the eye with water. With exposure to a foreign body or chemical to the eye, it is important to thoroughly flush the eye with lukewarm tap water or commercially prepared eyewash solution. See the home care section under eye injury for techniques on how to flush your eye with water.
  • If you think a foreign body is in your eye, do not rub your eye. This can seriously damage the eye by causing more damage to the surface as the foreign body is moved around with rubbing. Do not attempt to remove a foreign body from your eye or someone else's eye. Treatment other than gentle eye irrigation is generally not recommended and should be reserved for medical professionals and eye doctors.
  • For mild cases of eye discomfort, rest your eyes, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and avoid bright light.

Exams and Tests

Medical evaluation of eye pain begins with a thorough history and physical examination. The history consists of questions documenting the symptoms in detail.
  • Important questions asked include when the pain started, the location of pain, the duration of pain, the characteristics of pain, anything that makes the pain better or worse, what you were doing when the symptoms began, history of contact lens use, and previous eye injuries or surgeries.
  • Other important questions are whether you have allergies to medications, your current medications, past medical history, past surgeries, family history, and social history (including your work and travel habits as well as any history of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drug use).
  • The physical examination pertaining to the eyes may consist of checking your vision, visual inspection of the eye and its surrounding tissue, and examining eye movements, visual fields (peripheral vision), and the pupil's reaction to light.
  • The ophthalmologist may use instruments to get a better look at the eye.
    • An ophthalmoscope, which is a special tool for visualizing the eye, is used to examine the back of the eye and to view the optic disc and blood vessels.
    • A slit lamp is a microscope to view the surface of the eye up close and in detail to evaluate for possible corneal abrasions and ulcerations. It is also used to look into the anterior chamber, which is the area between the surface of the eye and the pupil.
    • Eye pressure can be checked using a tonometer on the slit lamp or a device known as a Tono-Pen. These two instruments are used if glaucoma is suspected.
    • The ophthalmologist may also put an anesthetic drop into your eye for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This test helps to determine if the eye pain comes from the surface of the eye or from deeper structures in the eye. In most cases, pain can be relieved by the topical anesthetic if it originates from the surface of the eye.
    • A dye called fluorescein may be put into the eye to detect abrasions, ulcerations, or any corneal defect. A special black light will be used in conjunction with the fluorescein to check for these problems.

When to Seek Medical Care

If you have eye pain, seek advice from your doctor or an ophthalmologist. It is difficult over the phone for a health-care provider to grade the severity of eye pain or make a diagnosis without examining you.
Because of the specialized nature of eye examination equipment, most eye problems are usually handled best in your ophthalmologist's office. If your ophthalmologist is not available, go to a hospital's emergency department. If the emergency department has the necessary eye equipment, an ophthalmologist may see you in the emergency department after hours.
  • Any eye pain related to burns (chemical or flash) needs immediate treatment.
  • Eye pain associated with loss of vision, loss of eye movement, painful eye movement, eye swelling, eye discharge, and severe headache are all significant findings that need to be evaluated by your ophthalmologist or in the emergency department immediately.
  • Any eye pain related to a traumatic event such as an object puncturing the eye, a blow to the eye with a foreign object, or a motor vehicle collision with injuries affecting the eye needs to be evaluated by your ophthalmologist or in the emergency department immediately.

Eye Pain Symptoms

Pain is a variable measure. Each person may interpret pain differently.
  • Eye pain and other symptoms often described by those experiencing eye problems are summarized below:
    • Pain in or around the eye
    • Partial or complete loss of vision
    • Extreme light sensitivity
    • Double vision
    • Halos (colored circles or halos around lights)
    • New floaters (spots, strings, cobwebs, or shadows seen before the eyes)
    • Limitation of normal eye movement
    • Pain with movement of the eye in different directions
    • Sensation of flashes or streaks of light
    • Severe headache associated with eye pain
  • Your doctor or an ophthalmologist may see these signs as evidence of eye problems:
    • Redness of the white of the eye (conjunctiva)
    • Redness that flares out and surrounds the colored part of the eye (iris)
    • Irregularly shaped pupil
    • Bulging or protrusion of the eye
    • Swelling or redness of the surrounding eye tissue, including the eyelids
    • Blood or pus inside the front of the eye (within the colored part of the eye)
    • Eye discharge, excessive tearing, crusting, or eyelids stuck together (especially upon awakening)
    • A scratch to the cornea or eyeball

Eye Pain Causes

Causes of eye pain fall into two broad categories: ocular pain and orbital pain.
  • Ocular pain is eye pain coming from the outer structures of the surface of the eye.
    • Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye problems. Conjunctivitis can be an allergic, bacterial, chemical, or viral inflammation of the conjunctiva (the delicate membrane lining the eyelid and covering the eyeball). Pinkeye is a nonmedical term usually referring to a viral conjunctivitis, because the conjunctiva gets inflamed and turns a pinkish color. Pain is usually mild, or there is no pain at all. Itching, redness, and drainage are typical symptoms associated with conjunctivitis.
    • Corneal abrasions and corneal ulcerations are also common causes of eye pain. The cornea is the transparent surface of the eye. Abrasions occur from scratches to the surface of the cornea, such as from a foreign body in the eye or overuse of contact lenses. Ulcerations occur from infections or abrasions. Foreign bodies, usually located on the cornea or in the conjunctiva, are objects or materials that give you the sensation that something is in your eye. Foreign bodies produce eye pain similar to that of corneal abrasions.
    • Chemical burns and flash burns are significant causes of eye pain. Chemical burns come from eye exposure to acid or alkaline substances, such as household cleaners or bleach. Flash burns occur from intense light sources, such as arc welding or tanning booths, when improper eye protection is worn. Even an intense sunny day can cause a flash burn.
    • Blepharitis causes eye pain when an inflammation of the eyelid is caused by plugged oil glands at the eyelid edges.
    • A sty or a chalazion causes eye pain because of local irritation. Both cause a lump you can see or feel within the eyelid formed by a blocked oil gland. This lump causes irritation to the eye, can be very painful to the touch, and is seen in both children and adults.
  • Orbital pain is described as a deep, dull ache behind or in the eye. This pain is often caused by diseases of the eye.
    • Glaucoma can cause orbital pain, although most cases of glaucoma are painless. Glaucoma is caused by an increase in intraocular pressure, or internal eye pressure, which can ultimately lead to defects in vision and even blindness if left untreated. Intraocular pressure can increase because of a blockage of outflow or increased production of aqueous humor (the fluid that bathes the inner eye). This is typically seen in older adults.
    • Iritis is an inflammation of the iris, or colored part of the eye, that causes deep eye pain.
    • Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects to the back of the eye. The cause of this inflammation can be from multiple sclerosis, viral infections, or bacterial infections and can cause symptoms such as pressure behind the eye along with visual changes and eye pain.
    • Sinusitis, which is a bacterial or viral infection of the sinuses, can cause a sensation of orbital or eye socket pain.
    • Migraines are a very common cause of orbital eye pain associated with headaches.
    • Traumatic events, such as a penetrating injury to the eye, a blow to the eye with a foreign object, and motor vehicle collisions, are causes of significant eye pain and injury. Scratches to the cornea typically associated with traumatic events are very painful. These are a common eye problem that leads people to seek medical attention.

Lasik Eye Surgery Can Restore The Color in Your Bleak World

Our vision is the most important aspect of our life, as we view the world and our surroundings according to our sight. If this vision is impaired our view of the world around us will undergo a complete change for the worse. If any problem occurs, we try to rectify it immediately by wearing spectacles or through the use of contact lenses. However, both these methods may cause discomfort to the wearer and great care is needed in maintaining such vision enhancing devices. A lasik eye surgery is the modern day method to get rid of an eyesight related problem forever. The high success rate of this operation has helped to create a popular space for this branch of medicine and it finds many takers who are visually impaired.

The advantage of a lasik eye surgery lies in the least amount of trouble to the patient in terms of maintaining the effects of the surgery on a long term basis. The duration of the surgery is also quite short and the recovery is speedy for the patient. The expertise of the surgeon is the primary criterion that needs to be well established before anyone agrees to go in for such a treatment. Our eyes are one of the most sensitive organs in our bodies and any surgery is bound to be a difficult procedure. Therefore, make sure that you are well acquainted with all the effects and side effects of the procedure before you agree for the operation. Clarify all your doubts from the surgeon who will be conducting the operation and only after you and your family are completely convinced about the process, should you opt for such a surgery.

Lasik surgery involves the complete reshaping of the cornea for vision rectification with the use of laser and requires extreme skill on the part of the surgeon. Any kind of eyesight defect like long sightedness or short sightedness and others can be easily rectified with this form of surgery and that too, within a short duration. The patient can easily get back to his regular lifestyle almost by the next day of the surgery and this short recovery period further adds to the advantage and convenience of the process.

Once you have got a lasik eye surgery done, you can say goodbye to your vision enhancing devices forever. Now no more do you need to cut your nails and wash your hands with soap each time you wear your contact lenses. The heavy and clumsy spectacles, which you were anyways reluctant to wear, can now be done away with completely. Lasik eye surgery provides you with a completely new and clear vision to help you view the world in it true colors. The eyes are the most important part of a person’s personality and this surgery helps you in making complete use of your natural eyes without aided vision. Therefore, if you are keen on improving your eyesight, you could discuss it with your doctor and in case you are a suitable candidate for lasik eye surgery, you can simply go ahead and change your life for the better.

What Causes the Mental Strain In Your Life?

Mental strain is the main cause of eyesight problems and ailments. If strain can be eliminated from the eyes, eye sight will improve naturally. Teaching the eyes to relax is an important factor in getting rid of vision problems. Unfortunately, outside stressors and strain cannot always be controlled. The only thing we can control is our reaction to outside sources, but those outside factors can really do a number on our eyes.
           
There are a number of things each day that can cause us stress. Some are within our power to chance, but most are not. Financial problems, heartache, family problems, death, illness, or weather are some of the stressful factors we face in our lives. We may be able to chance a financial situation, heartache, or a family issue, but it’s hard to control the weather or a death.
           
One thing you always have control of is thought patterns. If negative thoughts are keeping your down, you are the only one who can change that pattern of thought. Dealing with your negative thoughts can actually solve many of the problems we once though were out of our control. Thinking more positive will cause less strain in the family and eliminate those problems. Positive outlook on life can make you feel better and leave you less susceptible to disease and illness.
           
It is human nature to look for outside sources and reasons for our own negative behavior. We tend to blame other people or the weather or the traffic for our negative thoughts. Although, these outside sources can initially make us angry or frustrated, we are the ones who decide to stay in the negative mind set. Negativity causes stress and strain in our lives and causes excess strain on the eyes.
           
Take charge of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Take time to figure out why you are feeling so negative. What is it that is it keeping you upset or frustrated? What steps can you take to fix those problems and emotions? Once you figure out what is causing the emotions, fix it. Don’t wait for others to come and fix it for you, you will be waiting a long time.
           
Strain and stress is the main cause of eye ailments. Concentrate on positive thinking to increase health and reduce eye strain.

What Are Your Eyes Saying?

Eye problems plague society today and have for many years. Many of these problems and ailments can be avoided if we would stop and listen to our eyes. They are the best factors in deciding if we are overworking them. If your eyes are straining and tense, your eyes are being damaged. You wouldn’t continue straining your arm muscles for long periods of time, you would stop when it hurt and take a break. The eyes should be treated the same way.
           
The eyes are full of small muscles that are responsible for shortening or lengthening the lens so we can see clearly. Take a look at your eyes right now. Are they straining to read the words on the page? Are the eyes flowing over the words are staring hard at each word? Are you smiling, frowning, or concentrating too hard?  If you said yes to any of those, your eye muscles need to relax as soon as possible.
           
Thoughts can actually affect our vision. When you are thinking pleasant, happy thoughts the eyes are more relaxed. Relaxed eyes have better focus and allow the eyes to make smooth movements. Negative thoughts cause the eyes to strain. Strained eyes tend to stare and the movements of the eye are jerky causing the eyes to hurt.
           
The eyes don’t lie. If your eyes hurt or you feel tense behind the eyes, they are simply trying to tell you to relax. Feel a headache coming on near the eyes or behind them? You are straining your eyes too much and need to relax.
           
The good news is that it only takes about 15-20 minutes to relax the eyes. Relaxed eyes can focus better and help with comprehension of the things you are reading or looking at. Simply close your eyes and concentrate on the darkness. Forget about the negative stressors going on around you, and think about positive, pleasant things. Picture yourself relaxing on the beach, the waves lapping at your feet, a cold drink in your hand. Keep your thoughts focused on as many pleasant things as you can for the entire 15 minutes. When you open your eyes, you should feel more relaxed and the eyes more focused.
           
Listening to what the eyes are saying and relax them when they are tired. Taking time out to relax, will help your vision for years to come.

Improving Eyesight - Understanding Astigmatism

Astigmatism is normal as people age. Astigmatism happens when the eyeball loses its roundness and vision starts to become hazy. Astigmatism can also be caused by years of stress and strain on the eyes. The eye is surrounded by tiny muscles that help the eye ball elongate and contract. Years of tension, can weaken these muscles and cause problems when the eyes need to change shape.
           
The eyes are never ever truly round; they are constantly changing shapes depending on the situation. Everyone has astigmatism every once in awhile. In fact, you can create the illusion of astigmatism right now by pulling on the eye lids and blurring the vision. The eyes will usually fix themselves in a few hours or days; without the use of glasses. Artificial lenses mask the problem and prevent the eyes from healing themselves.
           
The eyes are amazing organs and they are the first line of defense against tension; we just tend to ignore those signs. If vision because blurry or distorted, your eyes are telling you to relax and take it easy.
           
When you feel tense, there are some activities you can do, and they only take a few minutes. The first thing to do is relax. Stop what you are doing and take a quick break. You don’t have to leave your desk or the area you are working in. Simply move your eyes around. Look away from the screen or the papers in front of you; focus on objects far away and give your eyes a chance to move from near to far.
           
If you are at home, you can lie on the floor and have someone swing a pendulum over your head. This allows your eyes to focus and follow an object and move. The eyes need to move to work properly. They are not design to start straight ahead for hours at a time. They are made to move and absorb the world around us.
           
An easy solution to astigmatism is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Eating a more healthy diet can help improve health and eyesight. The important things to remember is to keep your eyes in motion and give them a break every 15-20 minutes. 

Seeing Without Glasses - Swinging the Eyes

Strain does a number on the body. It causes tension in the face, neck, shoulders, and spine. Tension for long periods of time can cause body aches and illness. Strain and tension affects the muscles around the eyes as well, causing poor vision and eye problems.
           
Swinging is a method used to loosen up tense muscles in the eyes, spine, shoulders, and neck. Swinging for just five to ten minutes a day can vastly improve your health and eye sight. The process is quite simple too; anyone of any age can do it.
           
First, stand in front of a window with your back straight and feet shoulder length apart. Next, slowly turn the upper body to the right until you are looking at the wall. Now, turn back the other way, past the window, until you are facing the opposite wall. Repeat the process, swinging back and forth in a steady rhythm for five to ten minutes. Each turn should take two to three seconds.
           
While you are swinging your eyes are relaxed. Look out the window and allow your eyes to move slowly and naturally with the rest of your body. Don’t try to focus on anything outside the window. Allow the scene to move quickly back and forth in front of you. When you first start this exercise, your eyes will automatically try to focus, years of bad habits.  Just continue to relax and allow the images to blur in front of you.
           
The spine needs to remain straight and the arms should be loose at your side. This exercise can help get the spine back into shape and will improve your posture. There is no need for constant chiropractic care or exercises that require too much discipline. This simple swinging exercise is all the spine needs to stay flexible and in shape.
           
Practice this swinging exercise in the morning and at night before bed. It will allow you to feel relaxed making it a great way to start and end the day. You will sleep more peacefully at night because you are more relaxed. The eyes should not strain too much during the day because they are learning to relax and move around.