WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF VISION LOSS

NOT ALL VISION LOSS IS THE SAME

There are different types of vision loss. Some vision loss can be repaired with surgery, medication, or both. Other forms of vision loss cannot be repaired. Others might be repaired if treated within a certain critical time-frame. That is why it is important to get timely diagnosis.

Below are some symptoms of Vision Loss to watch out for:

• Sudden Vision Loss with Pain: Most patients will seek immediate help because of the pain. Some causes of this vision loss are serious, others are not. To be safe, always seek immediate care from an eye doctor.
• Gradual Vision Loss with Pain: As with the previous group, most patients will seek help, though some might wait a few days for the pain to increase. This is generally not recommended because it might be a serious time sensitive problem and you do not want to delay seeking help.
• Gradual Vision Loss without Pain: Unfortunately, people in this group tend to delay seeking an eye exam. This is generally not recommended. While some of the causes of this are easily reversible such as cataracts, other causes can be more serious and may not be easily fixed. Once again, always seek immediate care if things do not feel right.
• Sudden Vision Loss without Pain: This group tends to have the most serious conditions and should always seek immediate exam within the same day. Sudden vision loss without pain usually affects structures in the back of the eye such as the optic nerve or retina. Some of these conditions cannot be fixed even if immediate care is delivered. Others, like retinal detachment or wet macular degeneration, are time sensitive and can be fixed if immediate diagnosis and treatment is delivered.