What is Low Vision

If you have been told by your eye care professional that your vision cannot be fully corrected by ordinary prescription lenses, medical treatment, or surgery, and you still have some usable vision, you have what is called "low vision." Don't confuse this condition with blindness. People with low vision still have useful vision that can often be improved with visual devices. Whether your visual impairment is mild or severe, low vision generally means that your vision does not meet your needs. Using visual devices to improve your vision usually begins after your eye doctor has completed medical or surgical treatment or determined that such treatments will not improve your vision.

If you have low vision, you may experience these types of vision problems. You may have:

 

• overall blurred vision which can be caused by cataracts, scars on the cornea or diabetic retinopathy;

   

• loss of central or center vision, frequently caused by macular degeneration; and,

   

• loss of peripheral or side vision, most commonly caused by glaucoma or stroke.