Blurred Vision

The faculty of vision is probably the greatest gift to man. The eyes are our connection to the outer world and much of our mental perception of the sounds and sensations comes from what we behold with our power of vision.
Blurred Vision
The eyes are not only associated with the power to ‘see’, but also with being one of the most delicate organs of the body. With the rise in pollution levels, the number of eye problems and visual disturbances have also increased. The common eye problems observed include blurred vision, sighting of halos and blind spots and floaters, among various other symptoms that result in blurred vision. Blurred vision is basically the loss of sharpness of vision. It includes the inability to see small details and if left untreated, the condition results in blind spots or scotomas. These dark spaces within the field of vision create partial blindness.

A shift in vision or blurriness involving the formation of blind spots or halos around lights and at times even dimness of vision should always be addressed in time, at the onset. The evaluation should be conducted by a medical professional, to eliminate the chances of eye disease, aging and injury to the eye. Diabetes is also known to ultimately affect the eyes along with many other organs in your body, if left undetected or unmonitored. It hardly matters what the cause of blurred vision is, it should never be ignored. Eye defect simply worsens in time and has a great influence on the quality of life and your confidence level.

Professionals who help with eye related issues are trained specialists in specific areas. Opticians dispense glasses, while Optometrists diagnose eye problems and prescribe glasses. Ophthalmologists treat diseases that affect the eyes. Sometimes, certain eye problems are part of some general health problem and in such a situation, the family physician should ideally be involved. Blurred vision can be outcome of many different conditions. One of them is Cataract, where there is cloud like filament that is formed over the lens of the eye. This causes poor vision at night and sensitivity to glare. Presbyopia is a condition where the person finds it very difficult to focus on objects that are in close range.

Blurred vision is also the outcome of Glaucoma or increased eye pressure. This condition causes poor vision, blind spots and ultimately the complete loss of vision in both eyes. In the case of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy can set in, which leads to bleeding within the retina. The most common cause of blindness in people over sixty years of age is macular degeneration. This condition leads to loss of central vision, especially while reading and distorted vision. Eye infections and inflammation also cause blurry vision. Injury to the eye should be dealt with immediately. Other potential causes of eye problems include fatigue and certain medication. Medication like antihistamines and anticholinergics and some high blood pressure pills can affect vision.

You need to ensure to maintain certain time tested and tried safety measures to avoid any vision problems. Driving after dusk and working indoors in insufficient light should be avoided. You should treat blurred vision the moment you detect or experience partial or complete blindness, your stability is hampered due to double vision, you feel like there is a veil over your eyes, you sense blind spots or areas of distorted vision or if your eyes hurt or get red. It is essential to get your vision evaluated and eyes checked. A periodical overall medical evaluation is always advised and works in your best interest.

Eye care is probably the easiest to monitor and just like oral hygiene, you could set a routine for yourself. Always splash water over ‘tired’ eyes, never attempt to rub them hard, even when bathing. Clean the areas around both eyes as often as possible, to eliminate the risk of a foreign body entering either eye. The advise of the doctor is always better than the application of a novice idea from some self proclaimed expert. The professionals are trained and experienced in ensuring the best ‘eye health’ always. Regular eye check ups and tests for blood sugar levels and cardiac health reduce the risk of exposure to blurred vision.

By Gaynor Borade
Published: 1/28/2008

 
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