As you age, one of the first things that change is your vision. This is a natural process as various conditions and diseases take their toll. These can range from diabetes to macular degeneration. Millions of people all over the world suffer from visual impairment in one way or another. The level of severity can also be different. If your vision seems to be impaired, here’s how you can deal with the loss:
Consult Your Eye Doctor
When something is wrong with your eyes, the best option is to go to a professional eye doctor. They will give you a comprehensive eye exam that will determine what is going on with your eyes. After the diagnosis, you will most likely get a treatment plan from your doctor.
It is fortunate that most vision loss situations are treatable. For example, cataracts are a common reason for vision loss. If your doctor detects them, they will recommend cataract surgery. This involves the removal of the cataract and the insertion of a lens implant. But there are situations when surgery and treatments do not help. An eye doctor can tell you how to live with your condition.
Determine How Bad It Is
It is important to ask your doctor about how bad your vision is. This is important to know since you might end up being legally blind. Legal blindness means that your vision is less than 20/200. You can also be legally blind if your peripheral vision in your better eye is down to 20 degrees. Legal blindness can mean benefits for you. It will also restrict some of your movements because it makes driving difficult.
Use Special Equipment
A common response to losing vision is to get special equipment. This is the main reason why older people start wearing glasses. Optical aids like magnifying glasses are useful for those who love reading. Besides these tools, technology is progressing enough that new tools are appearing. Smart eyewear can help vision-impaired individuals by adapting to their needs. This can range from image amplification to glare reduction.
Optical aids are not the only things that can help. If you like reading, you might have to shift over to audiobooks or use text-reading software. A cane can also help you avoid slips and trips.
Improve Your Home
Vision loss should also mean changes in your home. Instead of sparse lighting, you should renovate so that your house has adequate LED lights in all its corners. Added lighting is the start. You can ask for a home assessment to determine what changes you can make to be more accommodating for the visually impaired.
Have Regular Checkups
Finally, keep track of your weakening vision via regular checkups. This allows you to change your habits at the right time. Plus, you can upgrade or downgrade your vision equipment when necessary.
There are times when you can’t stop your body from degrading. Declining eyesight is one of those situations. Though the situation looks bad, with some persistence and effort, you can continue living your life.
