Common Eye Disorders that can Lead to Blindness

Complete vision loss is probably one of the most terrifying things that a person can experience. Having poor eyesight is already inconvenient, so imagine all the troubles that a blind person has to face every day.

With the inability to see, even the most basic daily tasks can really be a hassle.

To keep all your worries at bay, it is necessary to know the eye conditions that can lead to blindness.

Uncorrected Refractive Errors

Refractive error is one of the most common eye conditions in the world. When people have this eye condition, they will have difficulty in seeing distant objects, close objects, or both.

Refractive error has four different types: Myopia, Hyperopia, Astigmatism, and Presbyopia.

According to an estimate by the World Health Organization (WHO), the uncorrected refractive error affects 153 million people worldwide.

With this said, refractive error became one of the most common reasons for visual impairment, which can include blindness.

Although people cannot prevent refractive error, this eye condition can easily be diagnosed through comprehensive eye examinations.

Refractive errors can also be corrected by wearing corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses.

To help you decide between eyeglasses or contact lenses, read Contact Lenses or Glasses: Which is Better for You?

Cataract

A cataract occurs when there is clouding in the natural lens of the eye. This results in a blurry vision that can soon lead to blindness if left untreated. Cataracts can develop as a person ages.

Meanwhile, some infants are born with this eye condition. In some cases, cataracts can also develop after eye injuries or as a result of other eye conditions.

An assessment by WHO revealed that in 2010, about 20 million people are blind due to cataracts. Because of this, cataract remains a leading cause of blindness in the world.

Unlike refractive errors, cataracts cannot be corrected with glasses and contact lenses, but it is cured by undergoing cataract surgery.

To prevent the hassle of dealing with and treating cataracts, it is best to know the symptoms of this eye condition to know when to consult your eye doctor. [READ: Signs You Might Have Eye Cataracts]

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition wherein the macula in the eye slowly deteriorates or degenerates.

According to WHO, this eye condition is the third most common cause of blindness in the world.

As its name suggests, the main factor for age-related macular degeneration is aging.

However, this eye condition can also occur earlier in life. Other risk factors for AMD include smoking, race, genetics, and family history.

Symptoms for this eye condition may include seeing straight lines as curved lines, inability to see things clearly, and having a dark spot in the area of your vision.

In the early stages of AMD, its symptoms are often unnoticed. Therefore, it is necessary to consult your eye doctor as soon as you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for the early stages of AMD. However, people who have intermediate or late AMD can still slow down the progression of the condition by taking high-dose vitamins and minerals.

On the other hand, people with advanced neovascular AMD can also prevent further vision loss through injections, photodynamic therapy, and laser surgery.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma occurs when there is a fluid buildup in the front part of a person’s eye. The fluid buildup increases the pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerves in a person’s eye.

If left untreated, glaucoma will eventually lead to blindness. Therefore, it is important to immediately consult your eye doctor when you experience any of glaucoma-related symptoms like blurry vision, severe eye pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Even modern treatments cannot restore the damage of your eyes brought by glaucoma.

However, if diagnosed early, further damage can still be prevented through medication and surgeries.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition wherein retinal blood vessels leak various fluids which may include blood.

Because of this, the retinal tissue swells, resulting in distorted, cloudy, or blurry vision.

As the name suggests, diabetic retinopathy is common among diabetic people.

This condition doesn’t show any symptoms in its early stages, and if left untreated, it can lead to blindness.

Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive eye examination for the doctors to look for signs of diabetic retinopathy.

During the examination, the doctors check the retina for changes in the blood vessels, changes in the lens, and damage in the nerve tissue, among others.

There are various treatments for diabetic retinopathy, depending on the stage of the disease.

To slow down the progressive damages caused by the condition, the patients should watch their diet and exercise, control their blood sugar levels, or have specific medications injected in their eyes.

However, if the disorder leads to macular edema, the patients can undergo laser treatment to stop leakage.

Corneal opacity

Corneal opacity occurs when the cornea of the eyes becomes scarred. This eye condition can be caused by factors like eye injury, infection, wearing contact lenses overnight or for a long period of time, and having your eyes hit by any foreign body.

According to the World Health Organization, corneal blindness is the 4^th cause of blindness in the world, making it one of the major causes of visual deficiency.

Symptoms of corneal opacity includes pain in the eye, redness, light sensitivity, and a decrease in vision.

Treatments for this eye condition may vary depending on the cause and severity of the scarring. Treatments may include eye drops and oral medications.

On the other hand, some cases require surgically removing the scar tissue using a laser.

The worst-case scenario is having to undergo a cornea transplant. This transplant is applicable to the more severe cases of corneal opacity.

To prevent or decrease the chance of having corneal opacity, take good care of your eyes especially when doing high-risk activities.

You should also consult your doctors to know how to take proper care of your contact lenses.

If you experience any of the symptoms above and you feel like you have corneal opacity, consult your eye doctor immediately.

Trachoma.

Trachoma is a contagious disease that is caused by the bacterium called Chlamydia Trachomatis.

This condition can be transmitted directly or indirectly through the eye and nose discharges of infected people.

Because this disease is contagious, people living in areas where trachoma is endemic are at high risk of infection.

Some of the areas where trachoma is hyperendemic include some places in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

Aside from the bacteria, some of the environmental factors that can affect the transmission of trachoma are poor hygiene and inadequate access to water and sanitation.

People with trachoma can be treated with antibiotics, but those who are in the advanced stages of the disease can receive surgical treatments.

If you want to learn more about the conditions mentioned above, read more from the sources that we trust:

https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/low-vision/what-causes-low-vision?fbclid=IwAR1BurcVvkCJyiW8y9nPK6q3Hd8CTRF07X65IhLPRv7otG4aGmd9Je2dtJ4

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment?fbclid=IwAR1bI-UYW_I9GvnoPbkbJ24T9k8ORVlF1FGu4oioVtPNvlyVcJVwKAaT158

https://www.who.int/features/qa/45/en

https://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index1.html

https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/glaucoma.htm

https://nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-glaucoma

https://nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy

https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/diabetic-retinopathy

https://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index7.html