Millions of Americans’ lives are affected by poor or low vision. The causes are often disorders and diseases that get progressively worse with age. On the bright side, there are several treatment options for visual impairments. Below, you’ll find information on some common conditions that result in poor vision.
Macular Degeneration
This is the leading cause of vision impairment in people over 50. Macular degeneration, also called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), affects your retina. Your retina acts as a focuser of the images we see. As the macula deteriorates, the retina receives less visual information and vision gets increasingly blurry. Age is a significant contributing factor in the development of this condition and treatment should be sought as soon as the symptoms are noticed. Laser surgery has been clinically shown to stop or lessen vision loss.
Cataracts
Cataracts affect nearly 21 million Americans. More than half of all Americans will develop cataracts by age 80. A cataract clouds the lens inside your eye and restricts the amount of light that reaches your retina. The result is a general degradation of vision. Cataracts can be removed permanently, restoring your pre-cataract vision quality. Cataract surgery—usually involving the implantation of an intraocular lens in place of the cataract—has a high success rate for patients with otherwise healthy eyes.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is characterized by damage to the optic nerve, resulting in vision impairment. Problems with the flow and drainage of fluids in your eye result in a buildup of internal pressure. This pressure pushes against your optic nerve and restricts blood flow, thereby damaging the nerve and your vision. In many cases, specialized drug treatments and surgery can minimize glaucoma-related vision loss.
With laser vision corrective procedures and state-of-the-art implants and procedures, the causes of poor vision have become increasingly treatable. If you want to know about your options for treating vision impairment, including cataract and LASIK surgery, call Boston Laser at (617) 566-0062 today. Our doctors are committed to giving you the best visual outcome possible and are personally involved in your care from the very beginning.
