Low Vision

What is low vision? Basically, "low vision" describes significant visual impairment that can't be corrected fully with glasses, contact lenses, medication or eye surgery. It includes:

• Loss of best-corrected visual acuity (BVCA) to worse than 20/70 in the better eye.
• Significant visual field loss. Tunnel vision (lack of vision in the periphery) and blind spots are examples of visual field loss.
• Legal blindness. In North America this is 20/200 or less central visual acuity in the better eye with best possible correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
• Almost total blindness.

In 2010 the prevalence of visual disability in the United States was 2.1 percent. This includes both low vision and total blindness.

Causes of Low Vision

Eye diseases are a common cause of low vision:

• Hazy, blurry vision can result from cataracts.
• Blurred or partially obscured central vision is typical of macular degeneration.
• Diabetic retinopathy causes blind spots, blurriness and visual distortions.
• Poor peripheral vision is a hallmark of glaucoma.
• Retinitis pigmentosa reduces peripheral vision and the ability to see in the dark.
• Light sensitivity and loss of contrast are other symptoms of these and other diseases.

Heredity and eye injuries also can result in low vision.

The Impact of Low Vision

Children as well as adults can be visually impaired, sometimes because of a birth defect or an injury. Children with low vision may have problems in learning concepts, and they need special instruction from their earliest years on. They also need additional help with socialization among other children and adults.

But low vision more commonly affects adults and seniors. Their vision loss can be very traumatic, leading to frustration and depression.

Losing the ability to drive safely, read quickly, watch television or view a computer screen can cause people with low vision to feel shut off from the world. They may be unable to get around town independently or shop for food and other necessities.

Many people with low vision also have difficulty making a living, as the following statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey of 2010 illustrate:

• In 2010 the employment rate for visually disabled Americans ages 21-64 (working age) was only 37.2 percent. The full-time/full-year employment rate was 24 percent. And of those without a job, only 13.5 percent were actively looking for work.
• The median annual income of households including any working-age visually disabled person was $33,400, versus $59,400 for households with no disabled people of working age.
• Individual poverty rates were 29.5 percent for visually disabled people vs. 11.9 percent of those with no disability.

Some visually impaired people become very dependent on friends and relatives, while others suffer alone. That's a shame, because many ingenious low vision devices are available to help people overcome vision impairment and live independently.

What to Do About Low Vision??

If you have a vision impairment that interferes with your ability to perform everyday activities and enjoy life, your first step is to see an eye care professional for a complete eye exam.

Poor vision that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses could be the first sign of a serious eye disease such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma or retinitis pigmentosa.
Or it could mean you are developing a cataract that needs removal. Whatever the case, it's wise to take action before further vision loss occurs.


Read the original article on allaboutvision .com, written by Liz Segre.

We hope this article has inspired you to visit your local optometrist. Your vision is priceless and a thirty minute appointment once a year is certainly something you should be able to commit too. Getting your eyes tested regularly will help you stay on top of your general health, eye problems.
Want to schedule an eye exam at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore? You can schedule an eye exam online here, or call 386-774-5000

Cataract Awareness

Vision Loss from Leading Cause of Blindness Can be Restored with Proper Treatment  

There are currently more than 24 million Americans age 40 and older who have cataract, according to the Vision Problems in the U.S. report from Prevent Blindness America.  It is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens which blocks or changes the passage of light into the eye.  Unlike many eye diseases, however, vision loss due to cataract can be restored.  Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States and has a 95 percent success rate. And, a new study found that cataract surgery patients had a significantly reduced rate of hip fractures from falls.

Cataract generally does not cause pain, redness or tears. However, these changes in your vision may be signs of cataract:

·         Blurred vision, double vision, ghost images, the sense of a "film" over the eyes.
 

·         Lights seem too dim for reading or close-up work, or you are "dazzled" by strong light.
 

·          Changing eyeglass prescriptions often. The change may not seem to help your vision.
 

·         You may sometimes notice the cataract in your eye. It may look like a milky or yellowish spot in the pupil (the center of your eye is normally black).

“Although getting a cataract is common, it doesn’t have to mean permanent vision loss,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America.   “One way to protect our vision is to make a commitment to take care of our eyes today, including getting a dilated eye exam, so we can help protect our sight for the future not just from cataract, but other eye diseases as well.”

To know more about cataract click here.

For free information on cataract and vision problem, please call 20/20 Eyeglass Super store at 321-259-3935, 407 767 5600, 386-774-5000 or log on to 20/20 Eyeglass.com.

Is Your Cell Phone Making You Blind?

Do you suffer from regular headaches, dry eye and blurry vision? Do you think the cause is your cell phone ? You should visit your optometrist! A large percentage of headaches blurry vision are caused by visual problems and most general practitioners will recommend you get your eyes tested to see if that is the problem.

Your vision is priceless and a thirty minute appointment once a year is certainly something you should be able to commit too. Getting your eyes tested regularly will help you stay on top of your general health, eye diseases .

Want to schedule an eye exam at 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore? You can schedule an eye exam online here, or call 407-767-5600

Facts You Probably Don’t Know About Your Eyes

On the face of it, our eyes are just simple orbs in our head, but the fact is that they’re very complex organs. There are seven main parts in the eye that play a role in transmitting information to the brain, detecting light, and focusing. A problem with any of these parts means a problem with your vision.

Our eyes are very complicated and amazing. They seem pretty simple, but there’s really a lot to know about how they function.

You’ve had your peepers since you were born, so you may think 

you know them pretty well, but here are some facts you may not know about eyes:

1.      The average blink lasts for about 1/10th of a second.

2.      While it takes some time for most parts of your body to warm up to their full potential, your eyes are on their “A game” 24/7.

3.      Eyes heal quickly. With proper care, it only takes about 48 hours for the eye to repair a corneal scratch.

4.      Seeing is such a big part of everyday life that it requires about half of the brain to get involved.

5.      Newborns don’t produce tears. They make crying sounds, but the tears don’t start flowing until they are about 4-13 weeks old.

6.      Around the world, about 39 million people are blind and roughly 6 times that many have some kind of vision impairment.

7.      Doctors have yet to find a way to transplant an eyeball. The optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain is too sensitive to reconstruct successfully.

8.      The cells in your eye come in different shapes. Rod-shaped cells allow you to see shapes, and cone-shaped cells allow you to see color.

9.      You blink about 12 times every minute.

10.  Your eyes are about 1 inch across and weigh about 0.25 ounce.

11.  Some people are born with two differently colored eyes. This condition is heterochromia.

12.  Even if no one in the past few generations of your family had blue or green eyes, these recessive traits can still appear in later generations.

13.  Each of your eyes has a small blind spot in the back of the retina where the optic nerve attaches. You don’t notice the hole in your vision because your eyes work together to fill in each other’s blind spot.

14.  Out of all the muscles in your body, the muscles that control your eyes are the most active.

15.  80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable or even curable.

Read the original article published on vsp.com

Who knew your eyes could be so amazing and complex? Make sure to give them the attention they deserve by seeing your eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam every year.

If it’s been more than a year since your last eye exam, please feel free to drop in to any 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore location or schedule an exam online. 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore is a family owned company that has been serving the Orange City, Melbourne and Winter Park areas for many years.  We look forward to becoming your number one source for all your eye care and eye fashion needs.  You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date on eye trends and eye health.