Southampton Sight

General Eye Information

What is Visual Impairment?

The term Visual Impairment is used to describe an individual’s sight problem that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses; simply when their sight loss is irreversible.   An individual whose sight that can be improved by medical practice is also referred to as a visual impairment, for example somebody with cataracts is visually impaired.  Some people are born with a visual impairment that is genetic, others develop it later in life, some people have been involved in accidents, had a stroke or developed illness that has associated sight loss with it.

Most people with a visual impairment have perception of shapes and light, it is estimated that only one fifth of those registered blind are unable to see nothing at all.   

An individual’s visual impairment can vary on a daily basis and is often dependent on lighting conditions, like indoor lighting, the sun.  Some eye conditions are deteriorating, whilst others are stable.

How can you tell if somebody has a Visual Impairment?

You cannot always tell, it is often a hidden disability.Some people may just wear dark shades to facilitate clearer vision in bright light, some will carry a small white stick, known as a SYMBOL CANE, which is a symbol of their visual impairment, whilst others will use a larger white guide cane to aid mobility.  Some people use guide dogs.

What are the different eye conditions?

Macular Degeneration is a very common cause of sight loss with Age Related Macular Degeneration being the biggest single cause of sight loss in the elderly generation. Macular Degeneration is degeneration of the macular which is the part of the retina responsible for the sharp central vision needed to read or drive.

Cataracts are another common cause of sight loss.A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens.A cataract can start small and have little effect on your vision initially, but gradually you may notice blurring, perhaps light becomes too bright and glaring and colours are not as bright.   Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision.

Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye condition that is associated with Diabetes.  Diabetes is when your body cannot use or store sugar properly.  When the blood sugar is too high, it can lead to damage in the eyes, called diabetic retinopathy.  People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to lose vision than those who are not diabetic, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  Although people with diabetes are at risk of developing the disease, not all diabetics do develop it.  It is important to have regular eye examinations.

Glaucoma  This is caused by a buildup of internal eye pressure that can lead to damage of the optic nerve.  Glaucoma often produces no initial pain or symptoms, so regular eye tests are again important, especially if there is a history of it in the family.

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a rare, inherited disease in which the light-sensitive area of the eye, the retina, slowly and progressively degenerates.  The first signs of retinitis pigmentosa usually occur in early childhood.  Night vision can be poor, and the field of vision may begin to narrow.
Here at Southampton Sight we can supply information on any of the eye conditions that you require.  Please phone us and we will pop some information in the post.

For further detailed information regarding eye conditions, please see here.

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