Impaired vision can be defined as the functional limitation of an eye, eyes, or visual system. It has become more prevalent among individuals over the past few centuries. Research from the Arlene R. Gordon Research Institute shows that the number of individuals with impaired vision recorded in 2011 is predicted to double by the year 2020 (Gordon). Many forms of vision impairment affect my family on a daily basis. My mother has worn corrective lenses since third grade to assist with her myopia or nearsighted vision impairment. However, her vision is also distorted by a condition known as an astigmatism, which causes one or more refractive surfaces on the eye to curve. She recently visited an eye doctor to renew her corrective lens prescription and found the results to be somewhat unexpected.
She arrived at the eye doctor and was prepped for an eye examination. When the doctor produced the results, my mother was extremely surprised. Relative to the general population, she had an exceptionally mild case of myopia; however, her astigmatism was so severe that it caused her vision to rank closely to that of a legally blind individual. The doctor prescribed her a corrective lens that would best fit her needs; however, her vision still remains slightly impaired. These results opened my eyes to the serious effects astigmatism can have on an individual’s vision.
Astigmatism is an optical condition that blurs an individual’s vision due to the irregular curvature of the lens and/or cornea of the eye. This curvature restricts the lens or cornea from correctly focusing an object on the back of the retina to create a sharp image. With the addition of nearsighted vision impairment, this defect can cause extreme image distortion for an individual such as my mother. Nearsighted vision impairment is a condition that allows an individual to see close objects clearly, but objects in the distance are blurred or distorted. This is caused by an irregularly elongated eye shape that places the point of focus, which would normally lie on the retina, slightly in front of the retina. This newly positioned focal point creates impaired images for objects that are at a distance. Although this condition was not a large factor in my mother’s case, it can cause extreme issues for many people depending on the severity of the impairment.
After hearing my mother’s experience and learning about the various conditions that contribute to vision impairment, I now understand how two individual vision cases can be extremely different from one another. My mother’s vision was distorted mostly because of an astigmatism; however, another individual may have a severe case of myopia that contributes to their vision impairment. The combinations are endless regarding the different defects in the eye and the type of corrective treatment needed to assist an individual with their vision impairment.
Works Cited:
Gordon, Arlene R. “Prevalence of Vision Impairment.” Lighthouse International. n. page. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. http://www.lighthouse.org/research/statistics-on-vision-impairment/prevalence-of-vision-impairment/.
While I was reading this, I started to chuckle due to the fact that I suffer from the same exact vision ailments as your mother. I have worn corrective lenses since the age of 7, and it has always been funny because no one else in my immediate family (grandparents included) wears glasses. Over the years, I have tried to really figure out where my bad vision came from, and just how you explained that two individual cases can be completely different, I am sure that your mother and I do not share the same cause of our ailments.
Unlike your mother, astigmatism has played a large role in my vision; I most definitely know the effects of it, and I know it makes my vision a lot worse off than it would’ve been if I was diagnosed with only being near sighted. Over the years, I have learned how to better take care of my eyes and to make sure I keep them as healthy as possible, even though their health have already declined quite a bit. I take my glasses off when reading close up, and am also sure not to wear contacts too often, in order to let my eyes “breathe”. I’m hoping the extra precautions I’ve been taking recently will help my eyes to at least maintain the level of health, instead of declining.
Morgan,
I also have the same issue with my eyes. I had to get glasses at a very young age because things far away from me were very blurry. Both of my parents have also had to get glasses and contacts for their difficulty with their vision. Our prescriptions are generally pretty terrible, but somehow my dad’s vision has gotten better with age. I also found out after I first got glasses that I had an astigmatism in both of my eyes, which only made my vision worse. I also had to get corrective lenses in order to better my vision with the astigmatism. I think that it is interesting that our vision can get better or worse over time, no matter how we treat our eyes over the years.