• Healthy State
  • Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search magnifying glass icon
Close Search X icon
  • icon of a house   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Find a Specialty
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Pay a Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Macular degeneration eyes woman

Experiencing Vision Loss? Here Are the 4 Main Causes of Blindness

Feb 18, 2022 |
By Denise Capps, MD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

It’s no secret that as we age, our vision can weaken, prompting many of us to take corrective measures such as wearing glasses, using prescription eye drops or even having surgery. But some eye disorders often lead to blindness if not treated.

More than 4.2 million Americans aged 40-years and older are either legally blind or experience impaired vision. There are four main causes of blindness: glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Read on to learn more about these conditions and how they cause vision loss.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss. There are two main categories of glaucoma: open-angle and closed-angle.

Open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition that progresses slowly over a long period of time without the person noticing vision loss until the disease is very advanced. That’s why it is often referred to as “thief of sight.”

Closed-angle glaucoma can appear suddenly and is painful. Visual loss can progress quickly, but the pain and discomfort often lead patients to seek medical attention before permanent damage occurs. Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled, and vision loss slowed by a timely diagnosis and treatment. However, any vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored.

Cataracts

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. Cataracts are very common as you get older. More than half of all Americans aged 80-years and older either have cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of them.

You might not have any symptoms at first, but as cataracts grow, they can cause damage in your vision. For example, you may notice that:

  • Your vision is cloudy or blurry
  • Colors look faded
  • You can’t see well at night
  • Lamps, sunlight or headlights seem too bright
  • You see a halo around lights
  • You see double (this sometimes goes away as the cataracts get bigger)
  • You have trouble reading or doing other everyday activities

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that primarily affects the part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks.

While this disease doesn’t cause complete blindness, it does make it difficult to see faces, read, drive or do close-up activities such as cooking. There are two forms of age-related macular degeneration: wet and dry.

Wet AMD is when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula (the central area of the retina), ultimately leading to blood and fluid leakage. Bleeding, leaking and scarring from these blood vessels cause damage and lead to rapid central vision loss. An early symptom of wet AMD is the look of straight lines appearing wavy.

Dry AMD is when the macula thins over time as part of the aging process, gradually blurring central vision. The dry form is more common and accounts for more than 70% of cases. It progresses more slowly that the wet form. Over time, as less of the macula functions, central vision is gradually lost. Dry AMD generally affects both eyes.

The symptoms of age-related macular degeneration depend on the stage. Dry AMD happens in three stages: early, intermediate and late. AMD is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms usually get worse over time.

  • Early, dry AMD doesn’t cause any symptoms.
  • In intermediate dry AMD, some people still have no symptoms. Others may notice mild symptoms like blurriness in their central vision or trouble seeing in low light.
  • In late AMD (wet or dry type), many people notice that straight lines start to look wavy or crooked. You may also notice a blurry area near the center of your vision. Over time, this blurry area may get bigger, or you may see blank spots.

Diabetic Retinopathy 

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes, and is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is characterized by progressive damage to the blood vessels of the retina, and typically affects both eyes.

Diabetic retinopathy progresses through four stages: mild nonproliferative, moderate nonproliferative (blockage in some retinal vessels), severe nonproliferative (more vessels are blocked) and proliferative retinopathy (most advanced stage).

The early stages of diabetic retinopathy usually don’t have any symptoms. Some people notice changes in their vision, like trouble reading or seeing faraway objects. These changes may come and go.

In later stages of the disease, blood vessels in the retina start to bleed into the vitreous (the gel-like fluid that fills your eye). If this happens, you may see dark, floating spots or streaks. Sometimes, the spots clear up on their own, but it’s important to get treatment right away. Without treatment, the bleeding can happen again, get worse or cause scarring.

Early diagnosis and timely treatment can reduce the risk of vision loss. Managing your diabetes by staying active, eating healthy and taking your medications can also help you prevent or delay vision loss.

It’s important to have regular eye exams with your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Your doctor can help you determine which course of action is right for you if you begin to experience vision loss.

To learn more about Dr. Denise Capps, or to make an appointment, click here. 

Learn more about optometry and ophthalmology at Ochsner.



Tags
eye health
optometry
ophthalmology

You may also be interested in:

Dry eyes
Conditions & Treatment
October 28, 2021

What Is an Eye Stye?

An eye sty/stye is an inflammation or infection of the eyelid. While it does not cause a serious threat to your vision, sties can be uncomfortable. Here’s what you need to know about how to treat a sty and how to possibly avoid them.
By Denise Capps, MD
Woman touching her eye
Conditions & Treatment
April 20, 2021

Chalazion: How to Treat this Eyelid Bump

A chalazion happens when an oil gland on the eyelid becomes blocked, and a small red bump can appear on the upper or lower eyelid. The good news is chalazia are treatable with home care and medical options if needed.
By Arlen "Brent" Richard, MD
Thinkstockphotos 499393530 Eye Chart
Conditions & Treatment
May 4, 2022

Glaucoma Risks and Treatment: What You Need to Know

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and now is a good time to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Glaucoma has no early warning signs or symptoms and more than half of people with this disease don’t know they have it.
By Denise Capps, MD

email envelop icon Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637
Follow us: Facebook Visit Ochsner Health on Facebook Twitter Follow Ochsner Health on Twitter LinkedIn Visit Ochsner Health's LinkedIn page Instagram Follow Ochsner Health on Instagram YouTube Subscribe to Ochsner Health on YouTube Pinterest Follow Ochsner Health on Pinterest TikTok Follow Ochsner Health on TikTok
Sign up for our free health and wellness newsletters delivered straight to your inbox.
SIGN UP

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Healthy State
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

newsletter icon

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

newsletter icon

Select the newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition
newsletter icon

Let us know where to send your newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:
To Your Health-Mental Health Monthly":
To Your Health- Skin Deep:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:
newsletter icon

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox.

Ochsner Health System
magnifying glass icon
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide