How to Prevent Blindness

Research shows that more than 90 percent of cases of blindness can be prevented through early detection and timely treatment. Yet many people let their vision symptoms go until irreversible damage has been done. There are many causes of blindness, and most are preventable or at least treatable. To prevent blindness, it's crucial to have regular check ups with your eye doctor and get any emerging problems taken care of right away. What causes blindness varies from person to person, but some common causes are listed below, as well as symptoms and how to treat them. When you take care of your eye health, you can live a long and happy life free of blindness.

Cataracts
Cataracts are opacities or the clouding of the eye's lens which block the passage of light through the eye. Instead of the lens being clear, it's cloudy, resulting in compromised vision. Some people are born with them, but most cases form with age. They aren't painful, but do cause blurred, dimmed, or double vision and, if not corrected, can lead to blindness. Many people can control them with eye glasses, but if they're serious, they require surgery to remove. Letting cataracts go could lead to blindness, so to prevent blindness, make sure you get them routinely checked out by your eye doctor to maintain good eye health.

Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetics have to be careful of complications from this condition, which is one of the most common causes of blindness from diabetes. In diabetic retinopathy, changes in the tiny blood vessels in the diabetic's retina form abnormal blood vessels and some may burst, or the retina may even break loose from the back of the eye. When blood sugars stay high, this condition can worsen. Diabetics need to make sure they keep their blood sugar within proper levels and get their eyes checked regularly to screen for this complication. Symptoms can include: floating spots, darkness in parts of your vision or almost total darkness. This can be healed by laser treatments which seal the blood vessels, or surgery which reattaches the retina. Both can be effective if treated early and immediately so that blindness is prevented.

Glaucoma
About one in every seven or eight cases of blindness can be attributed to glaucoma. While this can also occur in diabetics, it's not as common as diabetic retinopathy. In glaucoma, the transparent fluid at the front of the eye doesn't drain properly, building up pressure inside the eye. If the pressure isn't controlled, the structure of the eye sustains increasing damage, resulting in blurred vision, a narrow field of sight and eventually total blindness. Symptoms may include: blurred vision, halos around lights, reduced side vision and in acute types, severe pain from quickly rising pressure. In more chronic types of glaucoma, there is minimal to no pain, and vision loss is gradual. Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled through eye drops or medication, but sometimes surgery is necessary to prevent blindness. Early detection is important to keep eyes as healthy as possible.

Macular Degeneration
The macula is located in the retina of the eye and forms the sharpest picture in the center of your vision. When the macula starts to deteriorate, usually with age, vision can get blurry, though peripheral vision may remain good. Magnifiers such as glasses may help, as may laser eye surgery. To prevent macular degeneration, eye vitamin supplements can help to keep your eyes healthy and strong with age. Letting the degeneration go can lead to causes of blindness over time, though it can be easily treated.

Sources:
blind.net
wrongdiagnosis.com
newsinfo.iu.edu