Top 5 Causes of Blindness

While most of us know blindness to be a congenital condition, it is not the case. Blindness can affect each one of us, particularly at an advanced age. Clear vision depends on a multitude of factors. Cornea, eye-lens, iris, and retina all play an important role in making us see things. If any of these organs are damaged, a person may face the risk of blindness. Blindness is not a complete inability to see, it implies that a person’s vision is so impaired that they need a considerable amount of external help in seeing things.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people globally have vision impairment, including distant or nearsightedness. In almost half of these cases, impairment of vision could have been prevented or is treatable. The majority of problems blindness causes arise after the age of 50. However, visual impairment can happen even earlier if timely precautions and preventive actions are not taken.

This blog will discuss the types of visual impairments and blindness and the various causes of blindness.

Types of Blindness/Visual Impairment

As aforementioned, the health of our eyes goes way deeper than we are aware of. It is, therefore, important to have in-depth knowledge about what is often considered the jewels of the body, our eyes.

There are multiple types of blindness apart from general near and farsightedness:

• Colour Blindness - A visually impaired person may have colour blindness which is an inability to perceive differences among the various shades of colours.
• Night Blindness - Night blindness is another condition wherein a person’s ability to see things clearly in decreased lighting is impacted.
• Snow Blindness - It refers to loss of vision following exposure to ultraviolet light. These conditions could occur together.
• Extreme Light Sensitivity - People who have extreme light sensitivity suffer through pain and discomfort in sight when exposed to relatively standard illumination.
• Loss of Central Vision & Loss of Peripheral Vision - Individuals who have impaired central vision develop a blurred or blindspot; however, their peripheral vision remains the same. In case of loss of peripheral(side) vision, the person finds it difficult to see just above or below anything on the sides.

Leading Causes of Blindness

Apart from birth defects and injuries, the most common causes of blindness and vision impairment are age-related eye diseases. Blindness could be temporary or permanent. The diagnosis for the same can be made by a qualified ophthalmologist. Blindness causes could be varied and may range from conditions affecting the eyes directly to damage the visual processing parts of the brain. Here are five leading causes of visual impairment:

1. Uncorrected Refractive Errors

Untreated refractive errors like myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism can cause blindness. These are easily treatable with corrective glasses or lenses. An ophthalmologist could treat these conditions in one or two appointments. If these refractive errors are not given timely attention, they could lead to serious loss of vision. These conditions are particularly hard to diagnose for children. Underlying causes for refractive errors are the length of the eyeball, which causes myopia and hyperopia, or an irregularly shaped cornea which causes astigmatism. There are no specific ways in which this condition can be prevented. However, you can keep your eye health in check by following a few preventive measures which are mentioned ahead in the blog.

2. Cataracts

A cataract is the formation of a cloudy area in the eye lens which leads to a partial loss of vision. Cataract forms slowly, generally with the onset of old age. It can affect one or both eyes. This condition causes vision to be blurred, problems in seeing things in glaring lights, and faded colors among other things. Cataracts are considered to be the primary cause of vision impairment. There are various types of cataracts. Nuclear cataracts, cortical cataracts causing interference to the light which is passing via the centre, posterior subcapsular cataracts affecting the back of the lens, and congenital cataracts. A cataract can be cured with special glasses and brighter lighting. In serious cases, minor surgery is required. A skilled surgeon can perform an eye operation for a cataract within 15 minutes.

3. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration, common with aging, is a gradual degradation of the macula, the center of the field of vision. It is generally a painless condition. In macular degeneration, either the retina deteriorates, or leaky blood vessels grow under it. There are two types of AMD, dry AMD and wet AMD. Dry AMD is the common type, wherein there occurs the thinning of the macula. Wet AMD, though common, is way more serious and causes abnormal blood vessels to grow under the retina. Not just people above 60 but the ones who are overweight, the ones who smoke, or have other underlying diseases like high blood pressure or heart conditions are also prone to AMD. AMD can also be hereditary. Macular degeneration could lead to permanent vision loss in people over the age of 60. A combination of vitamins and other supplements can reduce the progression of age-related macular degeneration. Surgery is also an option to treat macular degeneration. However, while treatment surely helps, this condition can’t be cured completely.

4. Glaucoma

Glaucoma could be of multiple types and causes damage to the optic nerve. It results in vision loss. Like macular degeneration, glaucoma can’t be cured but treatment can help. In glaucoma, the nerve connecting the brain and eye is damaged. It generally happens due to high pressure. Glaucoma can happen in one or both eyes simultaneously. Underlying causes of glaucoma include elevated eye pressure, bulging iris, damaged optic nerve, the deposit of pigment granules and many more. Depending on the type, glaucoma can be painful or painless. Treatment for glaucoma may include a medical procedure, surgery, or anti-glaucoma medications.

5. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy can cause loss of vision in persons with diabetes. In this condition, blood vessels in the retina are affected. Uncontrolled levels of blood sugar may cause diabetic retinopathy. There are two types of diabetic retinopathy, early diabetic retinopathy, wherein new blood vessels don’t grow, and then there is advanced diabetic retinopathy which causes the detachment of the retina from the back of the eye due to the growth of abnormal blood vessels. Complete blindness can occur in patients having diabetic retinopathy. The general treatment for this condition consists of insulin and diet modifications. No surgery is needed in mild cases but laser surgery or other medical procedures are often needed in advanced diabetic retinopathy.

Other Causes

While the aforementioned factors are the leading vision loss causes, other conditions could cause impairment. Amblyopia or ‘lazy eye’ is another such condition. In Amblyopia, vision in one of the eyes is decreased because of a lack of coordination between the eye and the brain. Similarly, Strabismus could cause loss of vision as there is a lack of coordination among the eyes. Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection that affects your cornea leading to blindness. It is caused by the Bacteria Chlamydia Trachomatis. Corneal opacity is another occurrence due to the scarring of the cornea, causing blurred vision or complete blindness.

Preventing Vision Loss

In most cases, loss of vision is preventable. Yoga, meditation, and the right food are key to maintain a clear vision for life. It is also wise to get your eyes checked by an experienced ophthalmologist once every six months for early detection of any eye problems you may have.

There are food items that aid in improving your eyesight and preventing eye problems. Vitamins good for eyesight are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Vitamin E, Anthocyanin, and Omega-3.

• Vitamin A - Vitamin A is particularly the most effective in improving your eyesight. It is a group of compounds called retinoids. Retinol derived from vitamin A-rich foods help in producing rhodopsin which aids vision in low light. Food items rich in vitamin A are carrots, pumpkin, milk, and egg.
• Vitamin E - Vitamin is a strong antioxidant that helps to prevent and slow down a progressing macular degeneration. Food items rich in vitamin E are almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.
• Vitamin B - The several types of vitamin B, folate, B6, and B12 help in reducing the risk of the occurrence of age-related macular degeneration(AMD). Food items rich in vitamin B are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and green leafy vegetables like cabbage, kale, chickpeas, and kidney beans.
• Vitamin C - It helps in warding off free radicals to delay cataract formation. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Food items rich in vitamin C are cauliflower, cabbage, lemon, oranges, and more.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids -  Omega-3 fatty acids help supplement fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, which help the retina maintain the functioning of the eye. It also benefits individuals suffering from dry eye disease. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich food items are fish like salmon and tuna and cod liver oil.

However, despite all possible precautions, it is still possible to develop some form of vision impairment.

Loss of vision could pose a serious risk to your way of life. It could also pose a substantial financial burden on you or your family if expensive treatments are needed. It is important to get comprehensive health insurance. Once you choose a health insurance plan you can claim for hospitalization expenses, cost of medicines, cost of treatments, and consultation fees among other things. You may choose an individual health insurance plan; however, it is always better to have a family health insurance plan to protect all your family members from unforeseeable risks. Health insurance premiums are a minor cost to pay to protect the health and well-being of your family.

Conclusion

Clear vision is one of the most important assets for a person. Given the continuously increasing cost of healthcare services, you must get a health insurance policy that covers possible future expenses related to eye care. You can also deduct your health insurance premium from your taxable income. Before buying a health insurance policy, you should do some research to choose the right health insurance, Group Health Insurance policy. Vision impairment could severely affect the quality of life, it may lead to depression, and even affect your ability to work. The risk of losing eyesight for most of us is negligible. Nevertheless, you should consider an insurance cover for the same to protect your family’s financial security.