Avoiding vision changes is one of the primary intentions of eye care. Healthy eyes are not supposed to experience vision changes. These are alterations to your eyes’ normal ability to see. Some of the common vision changes include blurry eyesight, cloudy vision, blindness, double vision and the presence of spots in your eyesight.

Vision changes are not always caused by something wrong with your eyes. They may be caused by some other condition affecting your body. The worst vision change is one that leads to loss of vision.

Symptoms of Vision Loss

Some of the common symptoms that you may be losing your vision include the following:

• Pain in your eyes
• An injury to the eyes
• Red eyes
• Blurring in your vision
• Having double vision
• Your pupils are not the same size
• Sudden blindness in one eye
• You can see a grey shadow, flashing lights, or floaters where there are none

Possible Causes

Vision loss can happen due to a variety of reasons, but the most common is old age. People in their 60s are more likely to suffer vision-reducing diseases and should see their eye doctor more often. The most common causes of this problem are:

• Macular degeneration that happens to many older people
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Diabetic retinopathy

Prevention

There are some things you can do to lower the possibility of vision loss. Here are some of them:

• If you’re healthy and below 50 years old, have an eye exam every two-three years
• If you’re over 50 and/or have health risk factors, see your eye doctor for an exam every year.
• A record of your family history with eye problems can help your doctor determine the right treatment and healthy practices that can help you avoid those same problems.
• Live a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet. Favor foods that are good for your eyesight.
• Protect your eyes when you play sports or engage in activities that might expose them to injury.
• See a doctor if you experience any symptoms of eye problems.
• Avoid hazardous situations, such as the use of fireworks or the presence of chemicals.

You can avoid losing your vision if you see your doctor and practice healthy steps in protecting your eyes and overall health. Need eyeglasses? Get in touch with Spectrum Eye Care. Call us today at (704) 543-9000 or fill out this form to schedule an appointment.