Vision Impairments and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide

5 Common Causes of Vision Loss

Many different medical conditions can affect your vision. Some of these conditions, like strokes, migraines, and multiple sclerosis, don’t originate in your eyes. However, most people who live with vision loss have eye-specific medical conditions that impair their sight.

Examples of common conditions that can cause vision loss include:

1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

An estimated 2 million people live with age-related macular degeneration in the United States, and another 7.8 million are at risk. AMD is our nation’s leading cause of vision loss, and the problem is only getting worse: experts believe that the number of people with AMD will double by 2050.

The macula is the central part of your retina. Your macula helps you focus your central field of vision. If your macula deteriorates, you will start to notice blurred or distorted vision, which can make it hard to recognize faces, read, drive, or even perform simple everyday tasks.

People with severe macular degeneration can completely lose their central vision, although their peripheral vision may remain intact. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for AMD.

2. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in your retina. This condition is the leading cause of blindness in adults, and 4.1 million people in the United States have some form of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy can take one of two forms:

• Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR): Your blood vessels leak, causing retinal swelling and blurred vision.

• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR): Your body starts to grow new blood vessels in the retina; these new vessels are fragile and frequently bleed. You may experience “floaters” that make it difficult to see, and you may even develop partial or total blindness.

3. Glaucoma

Glaucoma occurs when fluid builds up in your eye and creates excess pressure. This pressure can damage your optic nerve, which can in turn cause vision loss and blindness. Some people’s glaucoma symptoms develop suddenly; other people’s symptoms seem subtle at first and gradually get worse over time.

4. Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis is associated with autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and lupus. When you have optic neuritis, your optic nerve’s coating becomes damaged, which disrupts your eye’s ability to communicate with your brain. Optic neuritis typically causes pain and reduced vision in one eye.

5. Eye Trauma

Our eyes are made of delicate tissues as well as fragile nerves and blood vessels. Your eye is very vulnerable to damage from debris, chemicals, heat, and other forces, and if your eye experiences significant trauma, you may experience permanent vision loss.