Losing It: Vision Deterioration

They say that the eyes are our windows to the world. We are able to see the beauty of God’s creations with our eyes. Vision, as defined in the dictionary, is the person’s ability to see. Visual perception, on the other hand, is one’s ability to interpret the surrounding atmosphere with light.

Visual acuity refers to how a person can see clearly. We could conclude that our eyes are very important in our daily lives. Imagine seeing nothing but darkness. It would be hard to work, to study and do other things. With our eyes, we are able to watch all the series we want and see all the sceneries that we would adore.

Researchers say that the eyesight is the most important sense in the body. 85% of the things we perceive and feel comes through the sense of sight. Did you know that the larger part of the brain is focused to vision compared to the other body senses combined? 

The eyes are the most developed sensory organ; therefore, we must protect our eyesight at all costs. Protecting one’s eyes can help in minimizing the risk of having vision deterioration and blindness. Eye disease such as cataracts and glaucoma, which are very common to the elderly, can be lessened when the eyes are given proper safeguard.

Vision deterioration can be caused by different factors. These include age, genetics and external factors like work and lifestyle.

Symptoms of potential eyesight problems may include:

o   Sudden eye pain

o   Double vision

o   Sensitivity to light or glare

o   Red, swollen eyes

o   Recurring pain around the eye

o   Droopy eyelid

o   Decreased vision in dark and poor lit environments

Vision changes as you grow older. It is said that the lens of your eyes hardens as you age. When these lenses get hard, it leads to age related eye diseases such as farsightedness and presbyopia. It could cause blurred vision and difficulty in seeing things up close. This type of vision change can be corrected through wearing blue light eyeglasses or contact lenses. Wearing these devices could also help in preventing possible permanent damage to the eyes. Another type of disease related to vision change is the cataract. The condition is characterized by the gradual loss of transparency in the lens. This usually occurs to the elderly. 

Changes that occur with one’s eyesight may be caused by too much exposure to light. It can be from digital devices or it can be from natural light such as the sun. There is a specific light that contribute to vision impairment and that is blue light. Blue light is found everywhere and its main source is the sun. Digital devices such as smart phones, computer monitors and tablets emit blue light.

Usually, blue light glasses users may experience eyestrains when using blue light releasing devices. There are studies that say over time, a person’s retina may be damaged through continued exposure to blue light.  Macular degeneration is a very common eye disease that has its cause from blue light. In macular degeneration, blue light transforms a molecule directed to the eye as a poison that then kills the photoreceptor cells, which causes permanent vision loss or possible permanent blindness.

Studies show that most cases of vision changes do not cause serious conditions on a person. However, these diseases may be connected to other bodily conditions that if untreated, could get worse. It is important to take care of one’s eyesight so as not to lead to any complication. Start taking a rest when your eyes are tired. Consult a professional when you feel that there is something wrong with your eyesight.