Symptoms of visual impairment. Let's not waste precious time!

Now, according to statistics, there are about 130 million people on the planet who have poor vision, and about 35-37 million who are unable to see at all. The reasons for this can be both congenital and acquired characteristics of human health. Most often, the process of vision deterioration occurs quite slowly, gradually, and a person has time to either adapt to it or take measures that can stop the process. But sometimes there is a sharp deterioration in vision. The reasons that caused this process may be different.

Sudden deterioration of vision: causes

First signs

If the quality of vision has deteriorated sharply, then the person becomes not only unable to lead his usual lifestyle, but often falls into a depressive state, which can turn into panic. The thing is that each of us receives the lion's share (up to 90%) of information about the environment through our eyes. Reading, watching interesting videos and TV, surfing the Internet and even finding the right place on the street - all this simply requires well-seeing eyes.

Causes of visual impairment

What happens at the moment when a person’s vision deteriorates? The very first symptom is the inability to clearly see surrounding objects, especially those located far away. Also, images become blurry, a “veil” may hang before the eyes, and blurred vision is felt. Problems begin with obtaining information visually, the inability to read, etc. The more vision deteriorates, the more difficult it becomes to navigate in space.

Symptoms of visual impairment

Attention! Sometimes vision deterioration, especially severe, may not occur due to the development of any eye diseases. Often the cause of this condition is some pathology of organs not related to the eyes.

Table. Types of vision impairment.

Lost vision in one eye

Diagnosis of blindness and low vision

If acquired vision loss is suspected, it is necessary to establish the localization of the pathological focus (ophthalmological examination - biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy). In some forms of retinal pathology, decreased vision may appear even before the manifestation of morphological changes in the retina. Thus, in Stargardt disease, the ophthalmoscopic picture of the fundus in the early stages of the disease may be normal, but fluorescein angiography reveals the absence of the choroidal phase of fluorescence. If optic nerve atrophy is suspected, especially asymmetric or unilateral, a CT or MRI of the brain is required.

Bilateral vision loss

This process may occur in the following cases:

• ischemic optic neuropathy , when the retina of the eyes is affected. Often occurs due to aortic arch syndrome with a sudden change in body position;
• a bilateral heart attack is often accompanied by a failure of color vision , this symptom is usually noted in older people;
• Retrobulbar neuritis is one of the symptoms of common multiple sclerosis, occurring in approximately 16% of cases. Usually in this case problems arise with central vision;
• increased intracranial pressure is often accompanied by amblyopia, the duration of which can vary from seconds to minutes;
• In the case of temporal arteritis, the vessels of the head and eyes are affected, which is why vision deteriorates.

If your vision has suddenly deteriorated, what should you do? You should immediately consult a doctor without postponing the visit until later

What to do if you discover symptoms of eye disease?

When you experience new, previously unnoticed vision symptoms, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist. When visual functions noticeably deteriorate over several hours or days, and pain begins to bother you, do not waste time. If you are unable to consult with your ophthalmologist, you can go to an emergency eye care office, which can be found in any city in a multidisciplinary hospital or eye hospital.

Sometimes you can go to optical stores. There you can see ophthalmologists who will do the most necessary examination, and you will receive a recommendation on how to proceed.

see an ophthalmologist, and you can make an appointment right now!

Vision correction using contact lenses

Lenses vary in length of wear. For example, one-day lenses from Bausch+Lomb Biotrue® ONEday are popular. They are made of HyperGel material, which is similar to the structures of the eye and tears, contains a large amount of moisture - 78% and provides comfort even after 16 hours of continuous wear. This is the best option for dryness or discomfort from wearing other lenses. There is no need to care for these lenses; a new pair is worn every day.

There are also scheduled replacement lenses - silicone hydrogel Bausch + Lomb ULTRA, using MoistureSeal® technology (MoistureSeal). They combine high moisture content, good oxygen permeability and softness. Thanks to this, the lenses are not felt when worn and do not damage the eyes. Such lenses require care using special solutions - for example, ReNu MultiPlus (Renu MultiPlus), which moisturizes and cleans soft lenses, destroying viruses, bacteria and fungi, is used to store lenses. For sensitive eyes, the ReNu MPS solution with a reduced concentration of active ingredients is optimal. Despite the softness of the formula, the solution effectively removes deep and superficial stains. For long-term hydration of lenses, solutions with hyaluronic acid, a natural moisturizing component, have been developed. For example, the universal solution Biotrue (Biotru), which, in addition to removing dirt, bacteria and fungi, provides 20-hour hydration of lenses due to the presence of hyaluronan polymer in the product.

Special gymnastics and a number of relaxing exercises help improve the condition of the eyes. They will be especially useful for those who work a lot at the computer. The simplest exercise is to close your eyes and contemplate imaginary nature. Sometimes people just visualize pleasant moments in life or dream.

Gymnastics for the eyes

Attention! Eyes can get tired not only because of work, but also because of emotional stress. Therefore, going back to the past and remembering pleasant moments would be a good idea to replenish internal resources and relax.

It is important to take care of your diet. It must be balanced and supply the body with all the nutrients it needs to function.

Nourishment for eyes

It is also important to have regular eye exams with an ophthalmologist. At the first signs of vision deterioration, you should consult a doctor immediately to identify the causes and prescribe the correct treatment. It may also be necessary to visit other specialists if the deterioration of vision is not associated with ophthalmological processes.

Video: What to do if distance vision deteriorates

Pathology options

If a person begins to see poorly, in most cases he resigns himself to the situation and dutifully tries on glasses or contacts, neglecting preventive measures. There are many options for vision loss, some of them can be corrected without medical intervention, while others require urgent consultation and surgical treatment. The most common pathologies are:

• lack of binocular vision;
• decreased visual acuity;
• color perception disorder;
• diplopia, or double vision;
• astigmatism;
• myopia and farsightedness;
• distortion of visual fields;
• diseases of the cornea or lens: cataracts, glaucoma, keratitis;
• night blindness.

Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis based on carefully conducted research. To create a treatment plan, it is necessary to find out why the vision loss occurred. It is important to visit an ophthalmologist in a timely manner so as not to miss the onset of a serious illness.

How to strengthen your eyesight?

Step 1. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is necessary for proper eye function. Therefore, it is important to eat as many carrots as possible in different forms. It is also important to eat foods rich in iron and zinc.

Eat more carrots

Step 2. Surprisingly, action games can help strengthen your eyes. This is reported by the results of a study conducted by scientists published in 2007. The eyes seem to train when they follow the active actions taking place on the screen. So you need to change your favorite genre of games to “action”.

Play action games

Step 3. You need to include several walks in the fresh air in your daily routine, and during your vacation, be sure to get out into nature.

Walk in the fresh air

Step 4: It is recommended to take supplements containing lutein, zeaxanthin, and blueberries. They have a beneficial effect on the eyes.

Special Additives

Step 5. You should visit an ophthalmologist regularly to check the condition of your eyes. This will help prevent the development of any diseases and take timely measures to improve vision if necessary.

Visit your ophthalmologist regularly

Step 6. It is important to limit the time spent at the computer or watching TV. Stress on the eyes must be strictly dosed. If this cannot be done, then you need to periodically break and do eye exercises.

Limit the time spent on the computer or watching TV

Step 7: Sports and exercise will help strengthen your eyes. It is recommended to include at least 1-2 workouts per week into your schedule.

Physical exercise

Step 8. If necessary, laser vision correction is performed.

Laser vision correction

Deterioration of vision after 45 years

Age leaves no one without physical deterioration in health. Yes, in the soul (that is, psychologically) a person remains young even at 70. But aging makes itself felt after 40 years. Even without the presence of diseases, blood supply, metabolism, and the functioning of the nervous system deteriorate. The functioning of the visual apparatus also changes. What is characteristic of vision after the age of 45? Is it possible to stop negative aging processes? What methods can be used to do this? Let's answer these questions.

Age-related features of the visual apparatus

Ophthalmologists state that a person observes the first signs of vision deterioration after 40 years. This is the average. With a genetic predisposition to visual pathologies, problems can appear in a person even at 35. Other people even at 60 can do just fine without glasses and contacts - everything is individual.

On average, according to ophthalmologists, after 60 years of age, good vision remains in 74%, and after 80 - in 47% of patients.

A peculiarity of the age-related functioning of the eyes is a decrease in central vision, a narrowing of its fields, and a deterioration in color perception. Changes in vision at close range gradually occur when we read, write, and work with small objects. In this case, people begin to move newspapers and books further from their eyes - this way the texts are visible more clearly.

In addition to the deterioration of metabolism and blood supply to the visual apparatus, changes occur in the lens. It loses its ability to increase refractive power. The elasticity of the organ is lost. A person feels this through rapid eye fatigue. For example, when reading a book for a short time, the text begins to blur, the letters merge, and the eyes hurt. Ophthalmologists call this condition presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness.

How to improve vision after 45 years

The classic option for improving the functions of the visual apparatus at this age is wearing glasses. The norm is to increase the power of glasses after 40 years by one diopter every 10 years.

Those who suffer from myopia find themselves in better conditions after 45 years of age. With a reading of 3 diopters, they do not require glasses for reading at close range. And if this figure is more than 6 diopters, then after 40-45 years they need to reduce the power of the glasses by one diopter.

With certain professional characteristics at this age or if you do not want to wear glasses, preference can be given to contact lenses (bifocal and multifocal).

There are more efficient methods of improving vision. This is laser correction, surgery on the lens and cornea.

But not every person accepts these methods. Many are afraid of their high cost and fear of using such procedures regularly. Therefore, this category of people over the age of 45 gives preference, at the first symptoms of vision deterioration, to independent methods of improving it. These include:

1. Enrichment of the diet with vitamin A. This is the introduction to the daily menu of carrots, blueberries, cod liver, butter, rich in this useful substance. If desired, you can also use ready-made pharmacy vitamins based on blueberry extract. Their choice at the pharmacy will satisfy customers with different financial capabilities. It should be taken into account that it is necessary to take such drugs in courses. Usually this is three months.
2. Exercises for the eyes. They help restore and improve the elasticity of the eye muscles. It can be recommended to spend 5 minutes daily on motor activity of the eyes, making circular turns with the eyeball; blinking at different rates; turns left and right; closing your eyes. Ophthalmologists advise doing eye massage with circular movements of your fingers above and below the eye socket. You can try opening and closing your eyes in water or infusions of chamomile, calendula, and eyebright. Such exercises are designed to stimulate blood circulation in the visual apparatus and slow down the age-related deterioration of its functioning.
3. Honey tampons. The beekeeping product contains many useful substances that slow down the aging process. Therefore, it is recommended to dissolve a tablespoon of high-quality honey in a glass of water, moisten cotton pads and apply them to the eyes for 10 minutes every evening. The procedure may cause a burning sensation. If it is felt strongly, then it is better to switch to internal use of honey. Two tablespoons per day will be enough.

Surgery

Thanks to innovative developments in the field of medicine, it is now possible to improve vision in completely painless and quick ways. The following will help restore the sharpness of visual perception:

• laser correction;
• drug therapy;
• wearing night lenses;
• surgical operation using unique equipment.

The decision to prescribe any procedure is made by the doctor after carrying out diagnostic measures.

To avoid problems with vision, you need to take care of your body: avoid overwork and head injuries, eat a varied and healthy diet, limit your TV viewing and time spent at the computer. In winter, when it is difficult to adhere to a fruit and vegetable diet, be sure to take vitamin complexes to improve visual abilities.

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Exercises to restore vision

1. Raise your eyes to the ceiling, hold your gaze for 5 seconds. Then lower it down and fix it at one point again.
2. Rotate your eyes clockwise 3 times, then the same amount, but counterclockwise.
3. Look first to the right and then to the left. Repeat 7-10 times.
4. Bring your eyes to the bridge of your nose. Return to normal position.
5. Blink your eyes quickly for 60 seconds.
6. Close your eyes for a minute. At this time, you can use your fingertips to make light rotational movements along your closed eyelids.
7. Close your eyes tightly. Open your eyes and look first at the nearest pre-selected point, and then at the far one.

To improve vision quickly and for a long time, eye exercises must be combined with proper nutrition. Vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins should be included in your diet. It is recommended to consume them raw, without heat treatment.