Poor vision and no improvement with eyeglasses was the complaint of a man in his mid-60’s who found his way to our facility. At the end of our consultation with him, he was diagnosed with low vision. One may wonder, low vision?

WHAT IS LOW VISION?

A person with low vision retains some vision, but it is insufficient for daily needs. Low vision is a vision problem or loss of vision that cannot be improved with conventional eyeglasses, contact lenses, medical treatments, or surgical interventions. Most people with low vision may be experiencing difficulty recognizing faces, driving, watching TV, reading, or writing. People struggling with low vision are usually elderly, although this condition affects people of all ages. Low vision decreases a person’s quality of life, leading to emotional distress and possibly depression.

MOST COMMON TYPES OF LOW VISION

(1)   Central Vision Loss: Blind spot in the center of vision.

(2)   Peripheral Vision Loss: Inability to see to the side, above and below eye level. But see, straight ahead.

(3)   Night Blindness: Struggling to see in poorly lit or dim environments such as evening or night time.

(4)   Blurry Vision: When objects appear out of focus.

(5)   Hazy Vision: Feeling like you’re looking at everything through a fog or a haze.

According to WHO, Low vision is when visual acuity is between 20/70 and 20/400 with the best possible correction or a visual field of 10 degrees or lower. However, a person is certified blind when visual acuity is worse than 20/400 with the best possible correction or a visual field of 10 degrees or less.In a nutshell low vision differs from blindness.

Hopefully, at this juncture you have seen the need for routine eye examination. Visit us at TREETOP VISION EYE CENTRE (TREVEC), the best eye clinic in Utako Abuja. We are well equipped with  professional healthcare team that would help carry out eye examinations and detect signs of low vision early.

TREVEC CARES!!!