Reduced visual acuity: causes and treatment. Why does vision deteriorate? Weakened vision

If a person's vision deteriorates, then there are two groups of visual impairments that can cause this effect.

The first group is refractive error. That is, there are problems with light rays passing through the lens and focusing on the desired area of ​​the retina. This group includes:

• Myopia, also known as true myopia. It happens when the eyeball grows unevenly and is too long. As a result, the rays of light cannot converge normally at one point, and vision begins to deteriorate. Primary myopia is observed in children and progresses no longer than until the age of twenty. If a deterioration in the condition is observed (or appears for the first time) later, it can be caused by a hormonal imbalance, infection or spasm of the eye muscles, due to which the eyeball, again, becomes deformed.
• Children's farsightedness. In this case, the problem is that the eyeball is too compressed, short, and the focal point of the light appears to be behind the retina. It is observed in children as a variant of the norm - their eyes gradually grow and the problem goes away.
• Age-related farsightedness. Caused by problems with the lens - it loses its elasticity and cannot focus the rays. It is observed in people over forty-five - either due to an abundance of work that requires eye strain, or due to illness.
• Astigmatism. The reason for this pathology is a violation of the shape of the eyeball. Because of this, the rays of light entering the eye are focused at several points at once, and as a result, a person cannot see either far or near.

The second group of disorders are various eye diseases:

• Glaucoma. One of the most dangerous diseases, which often develops rapidly and ends in blindness. The reason for this is increased eye pressure, due to which the vessels are compressed and oxygen starvation begins, followed by tissue degradation.
• Cataract. Clouding of the lens, which begins unnoticed, but gradually worsens and can lead to complete blindness. Most often observed in older people due to changes in the structure of the eye tissues, but it can also be congenital.
• Retinal detachment. It results from a lack of oxygen, develops quickly and can lead to loss of vision. Among the specific symptoms are flashes of light that the eye perceives, but which in reality are not there.
• Diabetic retinopathy. Due to problems with the circulatory system, the eyes do not receive enough oxygen and the tissues in them begin to degrade.
• Keratitis. Inflammation of the cornea, which is accompanied by the appearance of ulcers on it. Gradually leads to blindness, accompanied by pain.

With most eye disorders, the loss of vision goes unnoticed by the patient, as it progresses gradually. The best way to catch them early is to have preventative eye exams every year.

Causes of decreased vision

Diseases cause vision loss - it changes due to the degradation of blood vessels, due to problems with the lens, due to deformation of the eyeball. However, not a single disease develops on its own - they all have factors predisposing to development.

In the case of eye disorders this is:

• Lack of eye muscle activity. Light passes through the lens, the rays fall on the retina, which sends signals to the brain - and the person reads the image. But in order for the rays to focus, the lens must move, becoming either flatter or more convex. And for this the eye muscles must work. If they don’t work (a person is used to looking at a monitor or phone screen for hours), then they gradually lose tone and the ability to change the position of the lens. This is how age-related farsightedness often develops.
• Poor circulation. Oxygen is supplied to the tissues with the blood, and the tissues of the eye are very sensitive to its lack. Therefore, if a person has problems with the circulatory system, sooner or later he will begin to have problems with his eyes. The reason may be diabetes, bad habits, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure or thrombosis - the effect is always the same.
• Eye-strain. Severe fatigue can trigger muscle spasms, causing the lens to “jam” in one position. Plus, the retina suffers from tension and the blood vessels are partially compressed.
• Dry mucous membrane. It occurs due to fatigue, the eye seems to be “blurred”. As a result, vision decreases temporarily, and if this occurs frequently, keratitis may develop.

The cause of diseases can be hereditary diseases or genetic predisposition. It is because of them that vision in children usually declines.

It is interesting that even before a person develops a full-blown disease, his vision will temporarily decline. This can be noticed, for example, after working at the computer all day - in the evening, when the eyes are dry and tense, vision usually drops, and returns to normal in the morning. But if nothing is done, one day the problem will become really serious.

Deterioration of vision during pregnancy

Deterioration of vision often occurs during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. And in some cases, women simply cannot adequately assess their own condition due to concomitant anxiety.

The best way to make sure that your vision is not deteriorating due to pregnancy is to see a doctor.

Modern restoration methods

In the modern world, a huge number of ways to restore vision have been invented, even if the problem is quite serious and has already developed into a full-fledged disease. For example:

• Myopia, farsightedness and astigmatism, depending on the reasons, are corrected either surgically or with the help of glasses and lenses, if a person does not have enough funds, has contraindications or is simply afraid of surgery;
• cataracts can also be treated surgically - the cloudy lens is cut out, and a thin plastic lens is inserted in its place, which, although not able to focus depending on the level of illumination, still stops the loss of vision and compensates for the problem at least partially;
• glaucoma is treated either conservatively or surgically - in the first case, if the pressure in the eye can be reduced by simple methods, in the second, if the pressure grows quickly, uncontrollably and there are no other ways to contain it;
• retinal detachment can also be treated surgically;
• but diabetic retinopathy is compensated as conservatively as possible, since the cause predisposing to its development cannot be removed;
• Keratitis is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, and quite successfully.

The most dangerous are glaucoma and retinopathy - it is not always possible to remove their causes, therefore, even surgery does not always help. Everything else is either treated or compensated quite successfully, especially if you don’t delay going to the doctor.

Of course, there are many more reasons why a person’s vision may become blurred than in this short list, but the rest are less common - and are also treated quite successfully.

But if the problem is not yet a disease, but that the eyes get tired, dry out and move too little (and this is the problem of most modern people who are used to spending most of their time at the computer), surgical correction and medication will not be required. It will be enough to put in some effort: do exercises for your eyes, drip moisturizing drops into them and include foods that are healthy for your eyesight in your diet.

The simplest set of eye exercises looks like this:

• close your eyes tightly and then open your eyes wide;
• blink quickly;
• look up, down and to the sides without rotating your head, close your eyes and repeat;
• rotate the eyeballs - first with the eyelids open, then with them closed;
• extend your hand and look at your index finger, and then look at something in the distance;
• stand by the window - look first at a point on the glass, and then at something in the distance;
• extend your hand, look at your index finger, move your hand from side to side, then lower it, without changing the direction of your gaze.

Charging should take about five minutes and be repeated several times a day. Its main purpose is to increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation. If discomfort begins to appear during the process, you should consult a doctor.

Eye drops

An ophthalmologist should prescribe eye drops. Usually their purpose is to moisturize the mucous membrane so that it does not dry out and, accordingly, vision does not deteriorate.

Folk remedies for oral administration

The best remedies that traditional medicine recommends to correct failing vision are a variety of juices and decoctions full of vitamins and nutrients. For example:

• juices from pumpkin, carrots, blueberries - preferably freshly squeezed;
• juice from nettles and apples – freshly squeezed, mixed in a 1:1 ratio;
• a drink of chicory, parsley, carrots and celery - squeeze everything out, mix in equal proportions and drink half a standard glass once a day;
• Parsley decoction - take parsley root, mince, add honey and a little lemon juice, mix and take a teaspoon before meals.

Additionally, traditional medicine advises dripping blueberry juice into the eyes (but this is a dubious remedy), as well as making contrast lotions, for which you need to dip cotton swabs in hot and cold water in turn and apply to the eyes.

Healthy foods

And, of course, it will be useful to include in your diet foods that are rich in vitamins and can improve blood circulation. This:

• blueberries - you can eat them plain, in the form of jam, in the form of juice, and even drink concentrated tablets;
• carrots are rich in vitamin A, you can eat them raw, grate them with sugar, drink juice or make jam;
• pumpkin is an excellent healthy ingredient from which you can make soups, cereals, desserts, jam and even candied fruits;
• broccoli, onions, garlic, spinach, fruits, fish, cottage cheese, real dark chocolate.

It is important to remember that if vision loss is truly serious, you need to see a doctor and not self-medicate with diet.

Prevention

To prevent serious vision problems, you need to:

• do exercises without allowing your muscles to relax and your eyes to get too tired - this is especially true for people who work at the computer or watch TV for a long time;
• eat foods that are good for your eyesight – in any form;
• avoid dry eyes and use moisturizing drops;
• Visiting an ophthalmologist once a year for a preventive examination is the best way to notice a decline in vision at the very beginning and quickly understand the cause.

It is necessary to treat diseases in a timely manner, maintain chronic diseases in remission if possible, monitor your condition, know why vision may deteriorate in the first place, and refrain from bad habits. And, of course, if something goes wrong, consult a doctor immediately, and not hope that the problem will somehow go away on its own.

Through vision we receive 80% of information about the world around us. But often the deterioration of a person’s vision does not cause concern; it is believed that this is due to age-related changes.

However, blurred vision is almost always a symptom of some disease. Causes of visual impairment- diseases of the lens, retina, cornea, or general diseases leading to damage to the vessels of the eyeball, or disorders of the tissues surrounding the eye - adipose tissue and eye muscles.

Visual impairment can be of different types.

Impaired visual acuity associated with retinal pathologies. A healthy eye has visual acuity of -1.0. Sudden deterioration of vision can cause obstructions in the path of light to the retina, which occurs when the cornea and lens change. With disorders of the nervous system, vision is also impaired. This is facilitated by chronic lack of sleep, constant overwork and stress, and prolonged eye strain. Often, to eliminate visual impairment in this situation, it is enough to rest and perform eye exercises. And still visit an ophthalmologist so as not to miss the disease.

Peeling retina

The retina is the part of the eye in which the nerve endings perceive light rays and translate them into images. The retina is in close contact with the choroid. If they are separated from each other, visual impairment develops. Symptoms of retinal detachment are very characteristic:

• First, the vision in one eye deteriorates.
• A veil appears before the eyes.
• Periodically, flashes and sparks are felt before the eyes.

The process involves different parts of the retina, depending on which one or the other occurs. To restore the normal state of the retina, treatment is carried out surgically.

Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration- the cause of visual impairment in the age group after 45 years. This disease affects the area on the retina where the largest number of light-sensitive nerve receptors are located (the corpus luteum). Scientists are inclined to believe that it is caused by a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body.

There are two types of treatment for this disease - laser therapy and photodynamic therapy; drug therapy in the form of tablets or injections.

Retinal tear and vitreous detachment

The vitreous body is a substance that fills the inside of the eyeball and is firmly attached to the retina in several places. In youth it is dense and elastic, but with age it begins to liquefy and separates from the retina, which leads to its ruptures and detachment. Treatment is carried out surgically, and no two identical cases of this disease exist.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy - with diabetes, vision almost always deteriorates; in the later stages it occurs in 90% of patients, especially with type 1 diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to the capillaries and small vessels of the retina, leaving entire areas without the necessary blood supply. If visual acuity decreases or one eye stops seeing, it means that irreversible changes in vision have developed. Therefore, patients with diabetes should undergo regular examinations by an ophthalmologist.

Cataract

Cataracts are the most common. Develops in old age and is very rarely congenital. It is believed to be caused by metabolic disorders, injuries, and exposure to free radicals. At the same time, visual acuity decreases, up to blindness in one eye. In the initial stages, visual impairment can be treated with eye drops; the radical method of treatment is surgery.

Myopia

Myopia is the most common pathology and may be caused by a hereditary factor; elongated shape of the eyeball; violation of the shape of the cornea (keratoconus); violation of the shape of the lens; weakness of the muscles that are responsible for the movements of the eyeballs. For treatment, glasses, laser correction and other microsurgical interventions are used.

Farsightedness

Farsightedness is a pathology in which vision deterioration is caused by: small diameter of the eyeball; Decreased ability of the lens to change shape, starting at age 25 and continuing until age 65. As people age, visual impairment is corrected with contact lenses and glasses. There are surgical treatment methods using special lasers.

Eye injuries

Eye injuries are accompanied by a sharp deterioration in vision. The most common types of injuries are: foreign body; eye burns; contusion of the eyeball; retinal hemorrhage; eye injury (the most dangerous injury); hemorrhage in the orbit. In all cases, the ophthalmologist must examine, determine the extent of the damage and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Clouding of the cornea (cataract)

Corneal turbidity (cataract) is a process in which a cloudy infiltrate forms on the surface of the cornea, disrupting normal vision. To restore it, special drops can be used, as well as surgery - keratoplasty.

Keratitis

Keratitis is a group of diseases characterized by the presence of an inflammatory process in the cornea. Inflammation of the cornea is caused by: bacterial and viral infections; keratitis of fungal, autoimmune and allergic origin; toxic keratitis. In any case, visual impairment occurs, which goes away after the disease is cured. Sometimes a cataract forms, which is accompanied by persistent visual impairment.

Corneal ulcer

A corneal ulcer is a defect that is caused by injury, infection and inflammatory processes, accompanied by deterioration of vision. As treatment, drops with antibiotics and hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

Thyroid diseases

Diseases of the thyroid gland - diffuse toxic goiter (Graves disease), one of the symptoms of which is bulging eyes associated with double vision and blurred vision. Treatment is conservative; in severe cases, surgical intervention is performed.

Disorders in the spine

Disorders in the spine - vision is subordinated to brain activity involving the spinal cord passing through the spine. Injuries, damage to the vertebrae, and unsuccessful childbirth can cause visual impairment.

Diseases

Infectious and venereal diseases affect the nervous system of the body, and vision steadily declines.

Bad habits

Bad habits - alcohol, smoking, drugs affect the condition of the eye muscles and blood vessels of the retina. Poor blood supply to the eyes sooner or later leads to decreased vision.

Most people who naturally have good vision are accustomed to taking it for granted, and in most cases they think little about the value of this ability of the body. A person begins to truly appreciate vision only when the first encounter with the limitations that arise against the background of deteriorating vision occurs.

The fact of loss of a clear visual sense of touch leads to a temporary disorder of a person, but most often not for long. If at first the patient tries to take measures to preserve vision and prevent further loss of vision, then after correction with lenses or glasses, prevention stops.

As practice shows, only an expensive operation can force citizens to take prevention and measures aimed at maintaining the results achieved by the operation more seriously. So what reasons lead to decreased vision, how can they be solved routinely, and when is emergency medical care required?

Variants of visual impairment:

color vision disorders;

pathologies of visual fields;

lack of binocular vision;

double vision;

decreased visual acuity;

Decreased visual acuity

The norm of visual acuity in children after five years of age and in adults should be 1.0. This indicator indicates that the human eye can clearly distinguish two points from a distance of 1.45 meters, provided that the person is looking at the points at an angle of 1/60 degree.

Loss of clarity of vision is possible with astigmatism, farsightedness, and myopia. These visual disturbances refer to the condition of ametropia, where the image begins to be projected outside the retina.

Myopia

Myopia, or myopia, is a vision condition where light rays project images to the retina. In this case, far vision deteriorates. Myopia is of two types: acquired and congenital (due to the elongation of the eyeball, in the presence of weakness of the oculomotor and ciliary muscles). Acquired myopia appears as a result of irrational visual stress (writing and reading in a lying position, failure to maintain a better visibility distance, frequent eye strain).

The main pathologies that lead to myopia are subluxation of the lens, as well as its sclerosis in older people, traumatic dislocations, increased thickness of the cornea, and spasm of accommodation. In addition, myopia may have a vascular origin. Slight myopia is considered to be up to -3, the average degree ranges from -3.25 to -6. Any excess of the last indicator refers to severe myopia. Progressive myopia is myopia in which the numbers are constantly increasing. Growth occurs against the background of stretching in the posterior chamber of the eye. The main complication of severe myopia is divergent strabismus.

Farsightedness

Farsightedness is the lack of normal vision at close distances. Ophthalmologists call this disease hypermetropia. This means that the image is formed outside the retina.

Congenital farsightedness is caused by the small size of the eyeball in its longitudinal part and is of natural origin. As the child grows, this pathology may either disappear or persist. In case of insufficient curvature of the lens or cornea, abnormally small eye size.

Senile form (decrease in vision after 40 years) - against the background of a decrease in the ability of the lens to change its curvature. This process takes place in 2 stages: presbyopia (temporary from 30 to 45 years), and after that - permanent (after 50 years).

Deterioration of vision with age occurs due to the loss of the eye's ability to accommodate (the ability to adjust the curvature of the lens) and occurs after 65 years.

The cause of this problem is both the loss of elasticity of the lens and the inability of the ciliary muscle to bend the lens normally. In the early stages, presbyopia can be compensated for by bright lighting, but in the later stages, complete visual impairment occurs. The first manifestations of the pathology are considered to be problems when reading small print from a distance of 25-30 centimeters; blurriness also appears when moving the gaze from distant objects to close ones. Hypermetropia may be complicated by increased intraocular pressure.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism can be explained in simple terms as differences in visual acuity vertically and horizontally. In this case, the projection of the point in the eye is displayed in the form of a figure eight or an ellipse. In addition to blurring of objects, astigmatism is characterized by double vision and rapid eye fatigue. It can also be combined with farsightedness or myopia, or even be of a mixed type.

Double vision

This condition is called diplopia. In the case of such a pathology, the object can double diagonally, vertically, horizontally, or rotate relative to each other. The oculomotor muscles that work unsynchronized are to blame for this pathology; therefore, both eyes cannot concentrate on an object at the same time. Quite often, damage to muscles or nerves due to systemic diseases begins with the development of diplopia.

The classic cause of double vision is strabismus (divergent or convergent). In this case, a person cannot direct the central fovea of ​​the retina along a strict course.

A secondary picture that occurs quite often is alcohol poisoning. Ethanol can cause a disorder in the coordinated movements of the eye muscles.

Temporary double vision is often played out in cartoons and movies, when, after a blow to the head, the hero is faced with a moving picture.

Above are examples of diplopia for two eyes.

Double vision in one eye is also possible, and it develops in the presence of an overly convex cornea, subluxation of the lens, or damage to the calcarine sulcus in the occipital region of the cerebral cortex.

Binocular vision disorder

Stereoscopic vision allows a person to evaluate the size, shape, and volume of an object, increases the clarity of vision by 40% and significantly expands its field. Another very important property of stereoscopic vision is the ability to estimate distance. If there is a difference in the eyes of several diopters, then the weaker eye begins to be forcibly turned off by the cerebral cortex, since it can cause diplopia.

First, binocular vision is lost, and then the weaker eye can become completely blind. In addition to farsightedness and nearsightedness with a large difference between the eyes, a similar situation can occur in the absence of astigmatism correction. It is the loss of the ability to judge distance that forces many drivers to resort to spectacle correction or wearing contact lenses.

Most often, binocular vision is lost due to strabismus. It is worth noting that almost no one has an ideal balance between the position of the eyes, but given the fact that even in the presence of deviations in muscle tone, binocular vision can be preserved, correction in such cases is not required. But if vertical, divergent or convergent strabismus leads to loss of binocular vision, then surgical correction must be performed or glasses must be used.

Distortion of visual fields

The field of view is the part of the surrounding reality that is visible to the fixed eye. If we look at this property in spatial terms, it is more like a 3D hill, with the top in the clearest part. The deterioration along the slope is more pronounced towards the base of the nose and less along the temporal slope. The field of vision is limited by the anatomical protrusions of the facial bones of the skull, and at the optical level depends on the capabilities of the retina.

For white color, the normal field of vision is: outward - 90 degrees, downward - 65, upward - 50, inward - 55.

For one eye, the field of view is divided into four halves into two vertical and two horizontal halves.

The field of vision can change in the form of dark spots (scotomas), in the form of local (hemianopsia) or concentric narrowings.

Scotoma is a spot in the outlines of which visibility is completely absent, with absolute scotoma, or there is blurred visibility with relative scotoma. Also, scotomas can be of a mixed type with the presence of complete blackness inside and blurriness along the periphery. Positive scotomas manifest themselves in the form of symptoms, while negative ones can only be determined through examination.

Optic nerve atrophy - loss of visibility in the central part of the visual field indicates atrophy of the optic nerve (often age-related) or dystrophy of the retinal gall spot.

Retinal detachment - manifests itself as the presence of a curtain along the peripheral part of the visual field on any side. In addition, with retinal detachment, floating images and distortion of the lines and shapes of objects can be observed). The cause of retinal detachment may be retinal dystrophy, trauma, or a high degree of myopia.

Bilateral prolapse of the outer halves of the fields is a fairly common sign of pituitary adenoma, which interrupts the optic tract at the intersection.

With glaucoma, half of the fields, which are located closer to the nose, fall out. A symptom of this pathology may be fog in the eyes, a rainbow when looking at a bright light. The same loss can be observed in pathologies of optic fibers that are not crossed in the area of ​​decussation (aneurysm of the internal carotid artery).

Cross loss of parts of the fields is more often observed in the presence of hematomas, tumors, and inflammatory processes in the central nervous system. In addition, in addition to halves of the fields, quarters may also fall out (quadrant hemianopsia).

Loss in the form of a translucent curtain is a sign of changes in the transparency of the eye: the vitreous body, cornea, and lens.

Retinal pigmentary degeneration - manifests itself in the form of tubular vision or concentric narrowing of the visual fields. At the same time, high acuity remains in the central part of the visual field, and the periphery practically disappears. If concentric vision develops evenly, the cause of such symptoms is most likely a cerebrovascular accident or glaucoma. Concentric narrowing is also characteristic of inflammation of the posterior retina (peripheral chorioretinitis).

Deviations in color perception

Temporary shifts in the perception of white occur as a result of surgery aimed at removing the lens affected by cataracts. Shifts may occur towards red, yellow, blue colors, respectively, white will have a reddish, yellowish, bluish tint, similar to an unadjusted monitor.

Color blindness is a congenital defect in distinguishing between green and red colors, which is not recognized by the patient himself. In most cases it is diagnosed in men.

After cataract surgery, there may be a change in the brightness of colors: red and yellow fade, and blue, on the contrary, becomes more saturated.

A shift in perception towards long waves (redness, yellowing of objects) may be a sign of optic nerve or retinal dystrophy.

• Discoloration of objects - in the late stages of macular degeneration, which no longer progresses.

Most often, color disturbance occurs in the central part of the visual field (about 10 degrees).

Blindness

Amorosis is atrophy of the optic nerve, complete retinal detachment, acquired or congenital absence of the eye.

Amblyopia is the suppression of the previously seen eye by the cerebral cortex against the background of ophthalmoplegia, with severe drooping of the eyelid (ptosis), Benche and Kaufman syndromes, opacities of the media of the eyes, the presence of a large difference in the diopters of the eyes, strabismus.

Causes of decreased vision:

deviation in the cortical region;

damage to the optic nerve;

deviations in the retinal area;

muscle pathologies;

changes in the transparency of the lens, cornea, and vitreous body.

In a normal state, the transparent media of the eye are capable of refracting and transmitting light rays according to the principle of lenses. In the presence of pathological, dystrophic, autoimmune and infectious-inflammatory processes, the degree of transparency of the lenses is lost, and accordingly an obstacle appears in the path of light rays.

Pathologies of the lens, cornea

Keratitis

Inflammation of the cornea, or keratitis. Its bacterial form is quite often a complication of advanced conjunctivitis, or the result of infection during eye surgery. The most dangerous is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which has repeatedly become the cause of mass keratitis in hospitals with insufficient antiseptics and asepsis.

The pathology is characterized by redness in the eye, pain, ulceration of the cornea, and clouding.

The presence of photophobia is characteristic.

Profuse lacrimation and decreased shine of the cornea until an opaque cataract appears.

More than 50% of keratins of viral origin fall on dendritic keratitis (derived from herpes). In this case, a damaged nerve trunk in the form of a tree branch is observed in the eye. A creeping corneal ulcer is the final stage of a herpetic lesion of the cornea, or its chronic injury from exposure to foreign bodies. Quite often, ulcers are formed as a result of amoebic keratitis, which most often develops due to poor hygiene when using contact lenses and the use of low-quality lenses.

When the eye gets burned from welding or the sun, photokeratitis develops. In addition to ulcerative keratitis, there is also non-ulcerative keratitis. The pathology can be deep, or affect only the superficial layers of the cornea.

Cloudiness of the cornea is the result of dystrophy, or inflammation, while the cataract is a scar. Cloudiness in the form of spots or clouds reduces visual acuity and can cause astigmatism. In the presence of a cataract, vision may be limited to the limits of light perception.

Cataract

Cloudiness of the lens in ophthalmology is called cataract. In this case, the lens loses transparency and elasticity, destruction of structural proteins occurs, and metabolic disorders occur. Congenital cataracts are the result of genetic pathology or intrauterine influence on the fetus of toxic, autoimmune and viral factors.

The acquired form of the disease is the result of poisoning with mercury vapor, trinitrotoluene, thallium, naphthalene, radiation exposure, chemical or mechanical trauma to the lens, or its age-related degeneration. Posterior capsular cataracts appear after 60 years of age - rapid loss of vision occurs, nuclear cataracts provoke an increase in the degree of myopia, and age-related cortical cataracts lead to blurred images.

Vitreous opacification

Destruction, or clouding of the vitreous body, is perceived by the patient as dots or threads that float before the eyes when the gaze moves. This manifestation is a consequence of thickening and subsequent loss of transparency of the individual fibers that make up the vitreous body. Such thickenings occur due to arterial hypertension, or age-related dystrophy; vascular pathologies, glucocorticoid therapy, hormonal changes, and diabetes mellitus can also be the cause. Cloudiness is perceived by the brain in the form of complex (plates, balls, cobwebs) or simple figures. In some cases, degenerated areas can be perceived by the retina, in which case flashes occur in the eyes.

Muscle pathologies

Vision directly depends on the functioning of the oculomotor and ciliary muscles. Malfunctions in their operation can also lead to visual impairment. Six muscles provide the full range of eye movements. Stimulation of these muscles is provided by 3, 4, 6 pairs of cranial nerves.

Ciliary muscle

The ciliary muscle is responsible for the curvature of the lens, takes part in the outflow of intraocular fluid, and also stimulates the blood supply to the parts of the eye. Muscle function is disrupted due to vascular spasm that occurs in the vertebrobasilar region of the brain, hypothalamic syndrome, spinal scoliosis and other causes that cause disturbances in blood flow to the brain. The cause of the development of this pathology may be traumatic brain injury. Initially, a spasm of accommodation appears, and then myopia develops. Some domestic ophthalmologists in their works have identified and described the dependence of acquired myopia in infants as a result of injuries to the cervical spine of the fetus at the time of birth.

Oculomotor muscles and nerves

The oculomotor nerves not only provide stimulation to the muscles that control the eyeball, but also regulate the muscles responsible for the dilation and constriction of the pupil, as well as the muscle that lifts the upper eyelid. Most often, nerve damage occurs due to microinfarction caused by hypertension and diabetes. Damage to all nerve fibers is accompanied by the following symptoms: restriction of eye movement down, up, inward, poor vision due to accommodation paralysis, dilation of the pupil regardless of the reaction to light, drooping of the eyelid, double vision, divergent strabismus. Often, during strokes, the program of pathological syndromes (Benedict, Claude, Weber) includes nerve damage.

Damage to the abducens nerve

Damage to the abducens nerve makes it difficult to move the eye to the side. Such damage can be caused by: vascular infarction due to diabetes mellitus, or arterial hypertension, stroke, multiple sclerosis, central nervous system tumors, complications of otitis, intracranial hypertension, head injury, pituitary tumor, nasopharyngeal cancer, carotid aneurysm, meningioma. The patient suffers from horizontal double vision, which intensifies when the gaze shifts towards the lesion. In children, congenital lesions of the abducens nerve are included in the Duane and Moebius syndrome program.

When the trochlear nerve is damaged, double vision appears in the oblique or vertical planes. It gets worse when you try to look down. The head is quite often in a forced position. The most common causes of nerve damage are traumatic brain injury, myasthenia gravis, and microinfarction of the nerve.

Retinal pathologies

Retinal detachment (traumatic, degenerative, idiopathic) is formed at the site of membrane ruptures that occur against the background of an intraocular tumor, trauma, myopia, or diabetic retinopathy. Quite often, retinal detachment occurs following clouding of the vitreous, pulling it along with it.

Vitelline degeneration, punctate degeneration, gall spot dystrophy are hereditary pathologies that should be considered when vision loss occurs in a preschool child.

Severe retinal dystrophy, which is typical for people over 60 years of age.

Strandberg-Grönblad syndrome is a formation located in the retina of stripes that resemble blood vessels and replace the rods and cones.

Angioma is a tumor on the retinal vessels that occurs at a young age. Such tumors cause retinal detachment, or retinal tears.

Coats' retinitis (varicose veins of the retina) is an enlargement of the veins that leads to hemorrhages.

Discoloration of the iris and pink color of the fundus associated with underdevelopment of the pigment layer of the retinal membrane (albinism).

Central artery embolism, or retinal thrombosis, can cause sudden blindness.

Malignant tumor of the retina of diffuse type – retinoblastoma.

Uveitis is an inflammation of the retina that can cause not only clouding, but also sparks and flashes in the field of vision. Distortions in the sizes, outlines and shapes of objects may also be observed. In some cases, night blindness develops.

Signs of optic nerve pathologies

If the nerve is completely ruptured, the eye on the affected side will go blind. The pupil narrows, there is no reaction to light. Constriction of the pupil may be observed, provided that the healthy eye is exposed to light.

If only part of the nerve fibers are affected, decreased vision or periodic loss in the visual fields may occur.

Most often, nerve damage occurs due to toxic lesions, tumors, vascular diseases, and injuries.

Nerve anomalies – double nerve disc, hamartoma, colomboma.

Disc atrophy occurs most often against the background of neurosyphilis, trauma, ischemia, multiple sclerosis, after meningoencephalitis and leads to a narrowing of the visual fields and a general deterioration of vision that cannot be corrected.

Temporary loss of vision

Eye fatigue

The most common cause of decreased vision is eye fatigue, which in ophthalmology is called asthenopia. Fatigue occurs due to prolonged irrational strain on the eyes (driving a car at night, reading in low light, watching TV for many hours, or working in front of a computer monitor). In this case, the eye muscles become overstrained, causing pain and lacrimation. It becomes difficult for a person to concentrate on small details, font, and a feeling of veil and cloudiness may appear before the eyes. Quite often these symptoms are accompanied by a headache.

False myopia

False myopia, or spasm of accommodation, most often develops in adolescents and children. The clinical picture of this disease is similar to asthenopia. However, transient vision impairment in the distance or near develops due to spasm of the ciliary muscle from overwork. As described above, this muscle functions to change the curvature of the lens.

Hemeralopia and nyctalopia - “night blindness”

A significant decrease in vision at dusk, which develops against the background of a deficiency of vitamins, which belong to groups B, PP, A. This disease is popularly called “night blindness”, and in ophthalmology – hemeralopia and nyctalopia. In this case, twilight vision suffers. In addition to the presence of hypovitaminosis, night blindness can develop against the background of pathologies of the optic nerve and retina. The disease can also be congenital. The pathology manifests itself as a narrowing of the visual field, a violation of spatial orientation, a deterioration in color perception, and a decrease in visual acuity.

Vasospasm

Transient impairment of visual acuity may indicate the presence of vascular spasm in the brain or retina. Such situations are associated with chronic cerebral circulatory disorders (due to venous hypertension, vasculitis, vascular anomalies, blood diseases, cerebral amyloidosis, vertebral artery syndrome, atherosclerosis), hypertensive crises (sudden jumps in blood pressure). In such cases, there is darkening in the eyes, “spots” in front of the eyes, and blurred vision. Combined symptoms, blurred vision and dizziness, loss of hearing and vision may appear.

Migraine

A migraine attack quite often comes in combination with darkening of the eyes, which develops against the background of severe vascular spasm. Quite often, such headaches are accompanied by the appearance of scotomas, or aura.

Intraocular pressure

Normally, the pressure inside the eye ranges from 9 to 22 mm. rt. Art., however, during an attack of glaucoma it can rise to 50-70, and sometimes higher. A sharp headache appears that spreads to half the head and eyes, provided that the pathology is present on one side, but if the glaucoma is bilateral, then the whole head hurts. The pain is accompanied by dark spots before the eyes, rainbow circles and blurred vision. Quite often, autonomic disorders (heart pain, vomiting, nausea) are associated.

Medicines

Exposure to drugs can cause transient myopia. Such manifestations are observed when taking high doses of sulfonamides.

Sudden deterioration of vision

The most common causes of sudden irreparable loss of vision are eye injuries, retinal detachment, brain tumors, and strokes.

Reversible vision loss

If we talk about acute reversible loss of vision in both eyes, then in most cases the cause of such symptoms is oxygen deficiency of the visual cortex (ischemic stroke of the posterior cerebral artery, ischemic attack against the background of a chronic cerebral circulatory disorder), as well as in severe migraine attacks. In this case, in addition to loss of vision, color vision disorder and headache are observed.

A fairly rare form of reversible vision loss is postpartum blindness, which develops against the background of embolism of the posterior cerebral artery.

Ischemic optic neuropathy most often develops after significant blood loss due to surgery or injury if there is a sharp drop in blood pressure.

In case of poisoning with methyl alcohol, quinine, chloroquine and phenothiazine derivatives, bilateral vision loss may develop, which occurs in the first day after poisoning. About 85% of patients recover; the rest remain completely or partially blind.

There are also familial forms of temporary blindness of up to 20 seconds, which occur with sudden changes in lighting.

Permanent vision loss

Sudden loss of vision in one eye most closely resembles retinal artery occlusion, or central vein thrombosis, or retinal dissection.

If vision loss occurs due to a head injury, it is necessary to exclude a fracture of the skull bones, which could damage the walls of the optic nerve canal. Therapy in this case consists of emergency decompression through surgery.

Increased intraocular pressure may be accompanied by tightness of the eyeball, pain in the abdomen, heart, head, loss of vision, and redness of the eye.

Also, the cause of irreversible severe vision loss may be ischemic neuropathy of the optic nerve, which develops against the background of occlusion of the posterior wall of the ciliary artery and temporal arteritis. Also, a symptom of this pathology may be prolonged pain in the temporal part of the head, increased ESR, lack of appetite, and joint pain.

An ischemic stroke can cause the eye to become blind.

The cause of a sharp drop in vision can only be determined by an ophthalmologist together with a neurologist, since vascular pathologies most often lead to a sharp loss of vision.

Diagnostics

In order to obtain complete information about the condition of the eye, ophthalmologists today have a huge range of diagnostic capabilities at their disposal. A huge amount of research relates to hardware methods. During the examination we usually use:

measuring the productivity of the lacrimal gland;

determination of the corneal profile, or computer keratotopography;

pachymetry (measurement of the angle of curvature and thickness of the cornea);

determination of eye length (echobiometry);

biomicroscopy;

fundus examination combined with examination of the optic disc;

visual field testing;

measurement of intraocular pressure;

determination of the refractive capabilities of the eye;

measurement of visual acuity;

Ultrasound of the eye.

Treatment of vision loss

Most often, in the presence of vision problems, conservative correction is used, as well as surgical treatment.

Conservative treatment

Conservative therapy involves correction using massage and eye exercises, hardware techniques, contact lenses and, most often, glasses. In the presence of degenerative-dystrophic pathologies, vitamins are administered.

Spectacle correction allows you to correct complex visual impairments (astigmatism paired with hyperopia, myopia), farsightedness, myopia with retinal detachment, and reduce the risk of strabismus. Wearing glasses slightly limits the field of vision and creates certain inconveniences when playing sports, but given the effectiveness of their use, these disadvantages are eliminated.

People who make money from their appearance resort to wearing lenses. The main complaint about correction with lenses is difficult hygiene. This increases the risk of developing protozoal and bacterial complications, and also disrupts air circulation in the eye. It is worth noting that modern ophthalmology allows you to purchase the latest breathable lenses.

Massage and gymnastics help normalize and restore blood flow to the eye structures and relax the eye muscles. This therapy is effective in the early stages of pathologies.

Hardware techniques – classes on special installations that train the eyes, carried out with or without glasses. The presence of an instructor is required.

Surgical treatment

Cataracts today can be successfully treated only with complete replacement of the pathological lens.

Vascular and tumor processes are also corrected only through surgical intervention.

Partial retinal detachment and rupture are treated with laser welding.

The PRK method is the very first method of laser correction of the cornea. This method is accompanied by significant trauma and requires a long recovery period. In addition, the simultaneous use of the method for treating both eyes is contraindicated.

Today, lasers are also used for vision correction (astigmatism within 3 diopters, myopia within 15, farsightedness within 4). The laser keratomileusis method combines laser beams and mechanical keratoplasty. A keratome is used to detach the corneal flap and correct the profile using a laser. As a result of these manipulations, the cornea becomes thinner. The flap is soldered into place with the same laser. The Super-LASIK method is one of the surgical options during which the cornea is polished. Epi-LASIK corrects vision aberrations by staining the corneal epithelium with alcohol. FEMTO-LASIK is the formation of a corneal flap and its subsequent laser treatment.

Laser correction has many advantages. It is painless, has a short recovery period, requires little time, and leaves no stitches. However, there are complications that can develop against the background of laser correction, these are: corneal growth, excessive compression of the corneal epithelium, inflammation of the cornea, dry eye syndrome.

Surgical laser treatment has a number of contraindications. It is not performed on children under 18 years of age, breastfeeding women, or pregnant women. This technique cannot be used for herpes, operated retinal detachment, progression of myopia, immunodeficiency, cataracts, autoimmune pathologies, insufficient corneal thickness, glaucoma, or in a single eye.

Thus, the problems of decreased vision are very diverse, quite often progress and can lead to complete loss of vision. Therefore, only timely diagnosis and correction can protect against the development of a significant decrease in vision, or its complete loss.

If vision has sharply deteriorated, the causes should be sought not only in eye diseases. A number of factors can cause visual impairment. Therefore, if this phenomenon occurs, you should undergo an ophthalmological and general examination as soon as possible.

Most often, it is possible to stop the deterioration of vision, and in some cases it is even possible to restore one hundred percent ability to see.

The first symptom is loss of vision sharpness.

The contours of the object are made cloudy and blurry, which is why a person loses the ability to examine objects located at a distance from him. It’s as if a veil is blurring before my eyes. The patient can no longer receive information to the extent that he previously received.

He cannot read, it becomes difficult for him to watch TV, and working at the computer, as a rule, is also excluded. If vision continues to deteriorate, orientation in space is disrupted. First, movement on the street becomes difficult, and then within housing.

The faster the deterioration progresses, the more difficult the patient's life becomes. It is unusual for him to see the world distorted, so most of his usual actions are performed with great difficulty. As a result, a person cannot even fully take care of himself.

Sharply deteriorated vision causes and types

This violation is divided into two types:

• One-sided. Vision is impaired only in one eye, there is no change in the other. Occurs due to ophthalmological diseases, vascular disorders and other things;
• Two-way. Vision decreases equally in both eyes. Neurogenic pathologies are often the cause.

Based on duration, visual impairment is divided into temporary and permanent.

If vision disappears for a while, there is no need to worry about your health. It is enough to review your schedule well to eliminate frequent overwork. After this, vision usually improves.

Sometimes vision deteriorates sharply due to fatigue due to constant stress: working at a computer with a low-quality or poorly configured monitor, reading in dim light, etc.

Some people experience vision problems due to severe stress and lack of normal long-term sleep. In this case, you need to give yourself rest and it is advisable not to subject yourself to such high loads anymore.

This video discusses the main causes of vision impairment:

General condition of the body as a reason for decreased visual acuity

Sometimes problems can be caused by diseases that at first glance are not related to the eyes. Such conditions are: diabetes mellitus, Basedow's disease, pituitary adenoma. For such reasons, vision declines for a long time, and you should definitely consult a doctor.

The condition is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms: dizziness, headache, etc. Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed in 90% of diabetics. This disease affects the vessels of the retina. Develops due to lack of treatment for diabetes and high sugar levels.

In the initial stages of diabetic retinopathy, blurred vision and a veil are observed. Possible floating spots. In the later stages, vision is lost. Treatment is medicinal and surgical.

Graves' disease develops against the background of pathologies. The main symptom of this disease is bulging eyes. Vision deteriorates and is lost gradually.

Some people experience vision problems due to spinal disorders. This is due to the fact that good vision depends not only on the brain, but also on the spinal cord. In the presence of displacements, hernias, injuries and other problems, the functioning of the spinal cord is disrupted, which causes vision deterioration.

Eye injuries and blurred vision

If the damage affects only the eyelids and the soft tissue next to them, the level of image perception is not reduced. However, all injuries to the eyeball lead to temporary and sometimes irreversible loss of vision.

Such injuries include:

• chemical burns;
• orbital fractures;
• bruises, contusions;
• punctures;
• contact of toxic substances with the mucous membrane.

The most dangerous damage to this board is caused by sharp objects and chemicals. Liquid chemicals, getting on the very surface, can penetrate into the deep layers of the eye and cause tissue death there.

An orbital fracture can cause hemorrhage into the retinal area. The same condition occurs in people after prolonged and excessive physical exertion: sports training, in women - after difficult and protracted childbirth.

Often, if vision has sharply deteriorated, the main reasons lie in infections, viruses and fungi. They provoke keratitis and other diseases.

Returning full vision in this case is possible, but success depends on two factors:

• timely detection of the disease and initiation of treatment;
• careful compliance with the doctor’s recommendations by the patient outside the clinic.

Retinal tear as a cause of vision impairment

With age-related or traumatic rupture of the retina, the patient sees a veil before his eyes. It does not go away with medication and requires surgery. The surgeon carefully tightens the edges of the retina, after which vision becomes better. The result of the operation can be assessed after one to two weeks.

Modern clinics often offer laser surgeries, after which only a few hours of rehabilitation are required.

Destructive changes in the macular area most often make themselves felt after 45-50 years. They occur in the area with the maximum number of light-sensitive receptors. According to doctors, this condition can be caused by vitamin deficiency, but other factors may also influence it.

age-related macular degeneration, macular degeneration

Cataract

You need to close your eyes with your hands so that the light does not fall on them, and imagine pleasant moments in life or dream a little about the future. This will help your eyes rest and relieve stress caused by poor health.

It’s good to meditate a little, just lie in a quiet dark room, sleep.

As a preventative measure, it is important to balance your diet. You should not exhaust yourself with strict diets; your body must receive nutrients to function properly. The menu must include carrots and other vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A. In addition to them, you need to eat foods that contain iron and zinc. If necessary, it is better to take appropriate vitamin and mineral complexes.

According to scientific research done in 2007, action-style computer games help strengthen vision. In the moments when the eye tracks the active actions of the characters on the monitor, it is training. However, you should not get carried away with such games; one hour a day is enough.

Be sure to include outdoor walks in your schedule. At least 15 minutes a day outside allows your eyes to rest and the whole body to receive the right amount of oxygen. If you have the opportunity to walk longer, you should definitely take advantage of it.

On vacation, you should definitely be in nature outside the city. If you can’t go for a walk, at least go out onto the balcony or just look out the window. Modern man lacks open spaces, his eyes get used to focusing on close objects, which makes the eye muscles weak. So if your vision has sharply deteriorated, the reasons may be sitting for a long time in a closed space.

Even if your eyes are fine, attend regular consultations. An examination by a specialist will help identify the prerequisites for diseases and take the necessary measures.

Visual acuity is usually called the minimum angular distance between image details that the eye can distinguish.

Visual acuity is the main parameter of the visual system. If a person complains of worsening vision, most likely we are talking about a decrease in visual acuity.

Normal visual acuity is considered to be an angle equal to Г(1.0). Visual acuity is indicated by a decimal fraction (0.2; 0.3; 0.7). It is calculated as the reciprocal of the maximum angular discrimination. For example, if the minimum visual angle is 2, then the visual acuity of that eye is 0.5 (1/2). There are people who have visual acuity of 2.0 or more, their brain is overloaded with information: they see every grain of sand on the road, every vein on the leaves. They perceive vision deterioration to 1 as a significant loss.

The minimum sufficient distance visual acuity is considered to be 0.8. To read newspaper font from a distance of 30 cm, the minimum visual acuity value is 0.5. Difficulty walking appears when visual acuity is less than 0.1.

There are many reasons for deterioration in visual acuity. They can be divided into optical and sensory. The former are associated with disturbances in the optics of the eye, the latter - with disturbances in the mechanisms of light perception and visual image processing. The main defects in the optics of the eye are: myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism, as well as clouding of the optical media of the eye. The mechanisms of light perception can be disrupted due to diseases of the retina, optic nerve and brain.

How to determine what is causing the decrease in visual acuity? Approximately this can be done, for example, using the test given in the article Causes of visual impairment.

Texts of business papers, a computer screen, and in the evening the “blue light” of the TV - with such a load, few people’s vision does not deteriorate. Is it possible to stop this process? Experts believe: a lot depends on ourselves.

Why does vision weaken? Reason 1

Lack of work of the eye muscles. The image of the objects we see depends on the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye, as well as on changes in the curvature of the lens - a special lens inside the eye that the ciliary muscles cause to become more convex or flatter, depending on the distance to the object. If you constantly focus on the text of a book or computer screen, the muscles that control the lens will become sluggish and weak. Like any muscle that doesn't have to work, it loses its shape.

Conclusion. In order not to lose the ability to see well far and near, you need to train the eye muscles by regularly performing the following exercise: concentrating your gaze either on distant or close objects.

Reason 2

Aging of the retina. The cells in the retina contain the light-sensitive pigment with which we see. With age, this pigment is destroyed and visual acuity decreases.

Conclusion. To slow down the aging process, you need to regularly eat foods containing vitamin A - carrots, milk, meat, fish, eggs. Vitamin A dissolves only in fat, so it is better to add sour cream or sunflower oil to carrot salad. You should not completely avoid fatty meats and fish. And it’s better to drink not only skim milk. A special substance that restores visual pigment is found in fresh blueberries. Try to treat yourself to these berries in the summer and stock up for the winter.

Reason 3

Poor circulation. Nutrition and respiration of all body cells is carried out with the help of blood vessels. The retina of the eye is a very delicate organ; it suffers at the slightest circulatory disturbance. It is these disorders that ophthalmologists try to see when they examine the fundus of the eye.

Conclusion. Get checked regularly by an ophthalmologist. Retinal circulatory disorders lead to serious diseases. If you are predisposed to this, your doctor will prescribe you medications that improve the condition of blood vessels. There are also special diets that help maintain blood circulation in good condition. In addition, you need to take care of your blood vessels: a long stay in a steam room or sauna, procedures in a pressure chamber, pressure changes are not for you.

Reason 4

Eye-strain. Retinal cells suffer both when they are exposed to too much bright light and from stress when there is insufficient light.

Conclusion. To protect your light-sensitive cells, you need to protect your eyes from too bright light with sunglasses, and also not try to look at small objects or read in low light. It is very harmful to read in transport - uneven light and swaying have a bad effect on vision.

Reason 5

Dryness of the mucous membrane of the eye. For clarity of vision, the cleanliness of the transparent shells through which the beam of light reflected from objects passes is also very important. They are washed with special moisture, so we see worse when our eyes are dry.

Conclusion. It's good to cry a little for visual acuity. And if you can’t cry, special eye drops are suitable, the composition is close to tears.

The main enemy is the screen

Working with a computer puts extra strain on your eyes, and it's not just about the text. The human eye is in many ways similar to a camera. To take a clear “snapshot” of the image on the screen, which consists of flickering dots, it needs to constantly change focus. This adjustment requires a lot of energy and increased consumption of the main visual pigment, rhodopsin. Myopic people spend more of this enzyme than those who see normally. Therefore, a situation arises that is extremely unfavorable for your eyes.

It is not surprising that myopia begins to increase as a result. At the same time, a feeling of depth in the visible image is created on the computer screen, which is especially dangerous. Why are myopia very rare among artists? Because they constantly train their eyes, looking from a sheet of paper or canvas to distant objects. Therefore, when working with a computer, one should not forget about the safety rules that are required when working with text.

Specialists from the Moscow Research Institute of Eye Diseases named after. Helmholtz believes that “computer glasses” equipped with special filters that bring the color characteristics of monitors closer to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye can be very useful. They can be with or without diopters. Eyes armed with such glasses tire significantly less.

The following technique is also useful for training your eyesight. Taking the printed text in your hands, slowly bring it closer to your eyes until the outlines of the letters lose their clarity. The inner eye muscles tense. When the text is gradually moved to arm's length, without ceasing to look at it, they relax. The exercise is repeated for 2-3 minutes.

Candidate of Medical Sciences Alexander Mikhelashvili advises to be especially attentive to the eyes during the period when long weeks of “light starvation” have depleted our reserves of visual strength, and new strength has not yet been developed due to spring vitamin deficiency. At this time, the retina of the eye especially needs nutrition, because it has to spend significantly more visual pigment than usual. Blueberry preparations will come to the rescue in this case, which, by the way (only in the form of jam), was given to pilots of the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War to improve vision during night flights.

Gymnastics for the eyes

1. Close your eyes tightly and open them wide. Repeat 5-6 times at intervals of 30 seconds.

2. Look up, down, to the sides, without rotating your head, 3 times with an interval of 1-2 minutes. Do the same with your eyes closed.

3. Rotate your eyeballs in a circle: down, right, up, left and in the opposite direction. Repeat 3 times with an interval of 1-2 minutes.

Do the same with your eyes closed.

4. Close your eyes tightly for 3-5 seconds, then open them for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 6-8 times.

5. Blink rapidly for a minute.

6. It is also useful to hang a bright calendar, photograph or painting at a distance of 1-2 m from the desktop (this place should be well lit) so that during classes you can look at it from time to time.

7. Extend your hand in front of you and look at the tip of your finger at a distance of 20-30 cm for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 10-12 times.

8. This exercise also has a good effect on the eyes: standing at the window, look for some point or scratch on the glass (you can glue a small circle of dark plaster), then turn your gaze, for example, to the television antenna of a neighboring house or a branch of a tree growing in the distance.

By the way

In order for the text to cause minimal “harm” to the eyes, the distance from the eyes to the paper with a straight back should be about 30 cm, and it is better if the book or notebook is located at a right angle to the gaze, that is, the surface of the table should be slightly inclined, like a desk.

Visual impairment is one of those problems that cannot be ignored for long. Sooner or later, blurry text in a book or on a monitor screen, difficulties in recognizing faces on the street, and simply the risk of accidents due to poor “visibility” forces you to consult a doctor.

And only there, at an appointment with an ophthalmologist, does a person learn with surprise that decreased visual acuity could have been prevented. How? At a minimum, having received information about the factors that provoke dysfunction of the visual organs.

And if you don’t yet know how to avoid myopia or farsightedness, we will now try to fill this information gap.

No matter how much one would like to believe that vision problems are solely the fault of poor ecology (the most common “blame” that patients call ophthalmologists), the picture looks somewhat different.

If we distribute all the causes of decreased visual acuity according to their prevalence, then the list (in descending order) will look like this:

• Failure to comply with basic visual hygiene. The habit of reading, holding a book close to the face, prolonged viewing of television programs or working at the computer, inability or unwillingness to give the eyes a rest - each of these factors triggers a whole series of reactions. Overwork leads to spasms of the eye muscles, which, in turn, compress the blood vessels. This impairs the blood supply to the organs of vision with oxygen and nutrients. Gradually, “starvation” of tissues develops, the conductivity of the optic nerve decreases, and the optical system ceases to fully perform its functions.
• Genetic predisposition. If both parents suffer from early or congenital nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, there is a high chance that their child will inherit these conditions.
• Lifestyle. This is the most “capacious” category of reasons why vision problems can develop. It includes an unbalanced diet with nutritional deficiencies, bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse, etc.), physical inactivity, rare exposure to fresh air, non-compliance with the rules for wearing contact lenses, and much more. In a word, this list can include everything that is not related to the general state of health and is entirely the responsibility of the person himself.
• Age characteristics. Decreased visual acuity when looking at nearby objects (farsightedness) is a normal condition for young children whose eyeball is not yet fully formed. As the child grows and develops, his vision returns to normal. Another type of farsightedness, related to natural processes, manifests itself after 40-45 years. This is due to age-related changes in the lens, which loses elasticity and is unable to change its curvature (the mechanism that makes the image of objects clear) when the object in question moves away or approaches.

Prevention of visual acuity disorders

The list of reasons for decreased visual acuity makes it clear: only 50% of cases of acquired myopia or farsightedness (which developed during life) are “subject to fate” - heredity and the inevitable aging of the whole organism. But even so, there is good news. If you eliminate the second half of the risk factors - follow the rules of visual hygiene and lead a healthy lifestyle, then there is a high probability that “bad” genes and age-related changes will not be able to fully manifest themselves. In practice, this means that the development of vision problems can be significantly delayed in time, and their progression can be slowed down almost to zero.

Presbyopia is the medical name for the natural process of vision deterioration with age. Around the age of forty, sclerotic changes occur in the lens. As a result, the core becomes denser, which impairs the eyes’ ability to see objects normally. Therefore, you have to read using glasses.

With age, the process progresses and positive diopters increase greatly. By age 60, the lens loses its ability to change its radius of curvature. As a result, people have to use glasses for work and reading, which a doctor helps them choose. Presbyopia is inevitable and cannot be stopped. At the same time, age-related changes occur differently for each person.

Deterioration of vision with congenital farsightedness is accompanied by a decrease in reading and distance vision at the same time. Presbyopia worsens farsightedness. People suffering from myopia have the most favorable position. This disadvantage compensates for the loss of accommodation and delays the moment when you need to put on glasses for near vision. If you have average myopia, you will not need to wear glasses. They are needed for distance.

• For presbyopia, vision correction is carried out using contact lenses or glasses. If you haven't used them before, buy reading glasses. Otherwise, just replace. There are glasses in which the upper segment of the lenses is focused on distance vision, and the lower segment helps to see normally near.
• Other vision correction methods include the use of trifocal glasses or progressive contact lenses, which provide a smooth transition between near, intermediate and far vision.
• If you don’t want to wear fashion accessories, surgical treatment such as laser keratomileusis or photorefractive keratectomy will come to the rescue. These techniques involve using a laser to change the shape of the cornea.
• With the help of laser correction, it is impossible to give one eye the ability to see normally at distance or near. At the same time, the doctor will make sure that one eye can clearly see distant objects, and the other - near objects.
• The next option for surgical treatment is replacing the lens with an artificial analogue. For this purpose, artificial lenses of simple and bifocal types are used.

We started an article about vision deterioration with age. Interesting, useful and educational material on the topic awaits ahead.

Causes of age-related vision loss

TV, computer, texts, documents, bright light are the main causes of vision impairment. It is difficult to find a person who does not face such problems.

In this part of the article, we will look at the factors that contribute to vision deterioration. I hope you will find information in this material that will help you protect your eyes and take care of your health.

Low eye muscle activity. The ability to see images of objects and objects depends on the light-sensitive part of the eyes, the retina, and changes in the curvature of the lens, which, thanks to the ciliary muscles, becomes flat or convex depending on the distance of the object.

If you stare at a monitor screen or text for a long time, the muscles that control the lens will become weak and sluggish. Continuously develop your eye muscles through exercises. Alternately focus your gaze on near and distant objects.

Retinal aging. The cells of the retina contain light-sensitive pigments through which a person sees. With age, pigments are destroyed and visual acuity decreases. To slow down aging, eat foods rich in vitamin A - eggs, fish, milk, carrots and meat. Don't neglect fatty fish or meat. Be sure to include blueberries in your diet. It contains a substance that restores visual pigment.

Poor circulation. The cells of the body breathe and feed through blood vessels. The retina is a delicate organ that suffers damage even with minor circulatory disorders. Ophthalmologists look for this kind of disorder during fundus examination.

Impaired blood circulation in the retina leads to serious diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to visit the doctor regularly. The doctor will prescribe medications that will improve the condition of the blood vessels. Diets have been developed to keep blood circulation healthy. It doesn’t hurt to protect your blood vessels by avoiding prolonged stays in saunas and steam rooms.

High eye strain. Retinal cells are damaged when exposed to bright light and from strain in low light conditions. Protecting your eyes from the sun with glasses will help solve the problem. Avoid reading or looking at tiny objects in poor lighting. And reading on public transport is a bad habit.

Dry mucous membranes. Clarity of vision also depends on the purity of the transparent shells that transmit the beam of light reflected from objects. They are washed with liquid. In the case of dry eyes, a person sees worse.

Crying will help restore visual acuity. If you are unable to bring tears or do not want to cry, use special drops. Their composition resembles tears and moisturizes the eyes well.

Video interview with doctor

Deterioration of vision during pregnancy

Pregnancy affects the systems and organs of the female body, including the organs of vision. Visual impairment during pregnancy is not the most serious problem. Often the phenomenon is a consequence of a disease that causes great harm to the fetus, so it is recommended to visit an ophthalmologist regularly in the first trimester.

A difficult pregnancy is accompanied by a high load on the heart, which leads to changes in the blood supply to organs and narrowing of the retinal vessels. With high pressure, hemorrhage occurs in the retina, which leads to detachment.

If symptoms occur, respond immediately. Reddened eyes are a superficial symptom of serious processes occurring inside the eye. Only ophthalmoscopy helps to detect them.

Hormonal changes affect vision. Increased levels of hormones affect the white membrane of the eyes, which leads to deterioration of vision. After childbirth, the symptoms will disappear, so there is no need to resort to using glasses or contacts.

If pregnancy is not accompanied by pathologies, problems with visual acuity bring temporary discomfort. We are talking about dryness, irritation and eye fatigue. It's all due to excess hormones. If there is a sharp decrease in visual acuity or bright sparks appear before your eyes, be wary.

• Often the cause of vision deterioration is hormonal changes. In this case, no treatment is required. After childbirth everything returns to normal. Many doctors recommend correcting vision during pregnancy planning, since health problems are more difficult to treat than to prevent.
• If you had dystrophy before conceiving a child, take a course of laser coagulation. It is allowed to be carried out during the first 36 weeks. Do not delay this, otherwise natural childbirth is not recommended. Physical strain can cause the retina to separate or rupture.

If you regularly watch TV, sit at the computer for a long time, or read books in the evening, take breaks periodically. During your break, do exercises or massage your eyes.

Deterioration of vision in diabetes mellitus

People with diabetes often experience problems associated with poor vision. Often, high blood sugar levels lead to unpleasant results in the form of complete or partial blindness. Every diabetic is recommended to constantly monitor their vision.

Let's consider the deterioration of vision in diabetes from the mechanism of the effect of glucose on the condition of the eyes. Severe surges in blood sugar negatively affect the structure of the lens and the structure of the network of eye vessels. This impairs vision and provokes serious diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts.

If you notice that flashes, sparks and blackouts appear before your eyes, and while reading the letters dance, go to the ophthalmologist. Remember this advice and do not forget that diabetics are a potential risk group for problems with visual acuity.

Let's look at eye diseases that are more likely to occur in diabetics. Events develop according to different scenarios, but it all starts with an increase in sugar. Glucose greatly changes the structure of the lens and negatively affects the condition of blood vessels in the eye area.

1. Cataract. When the disease occurs, the lens darkens and becomes cloudy. The first sign of cataracts is the inability to focus the gaze on a light source, accompanied by a blurry and unclear picture. Surgery helps to cope with the scourge.
2. Glaucoma. Another problem facing diabetics. The cause of the disease is high pressure inside the eye. In diabetes, fluid accumulates inside the eyes, which disrupts the integrity of nerves and blood vessels. The main symptom of glaucoma is blurred outlines of objects in peripheral vision. The disease can be overcome only in the early stages of development.
3. Retinopathy . The disease leads to blindness. During the development of the disease, damage to the walls of the eye vessels is observed, which reduces blood flow to the retina. The disease manifests itself through clouding of the picture and the appearance of spot eclipses. To combat this, laser coagulation of the retina or surgery is used.

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Deterioration of vision due to diabetes is not a reason to despair. Many people face similar difficulties, but proper nutrition and regular examinations with an ophthalmologist will help avoid serious problems.

Sudden deterioration of vision - symptoms and causes

Often the visual impairment is temporary. This condition is caused by stress, lack of sleep and overwork, and visual tension. To solve the problem, it is recommended to go on a summer vacation, relax and normalize your daily routine.

It wouldn’t hurt to visit an ophthalmologist if there is a sharp deterioration in vision. Let's consider the reasons for this phenomenon.

• Injuries. Bruises of the eyeball, hemorrhages, thermal and chemical burns, entry of foreign bodies into the orbit. Injuring the eye with a cutting or stabbing object is considered very dangerous.
• Farsightedness . An unpleasant pathology when vision of nearby objects deteriorates. Accompanies various diseases and is characterized by a decrease in the ability of the eye lens to change shape.
• Myopia . A pathology in which vision deteriorates when viewing independent objects. Often caused by hereditary factors, injuries that change the position of the lens and disrupt its shape, and weak muscles.
• Hemorrhage . The causes of hemorrhage are high blood pressure, venous congestion, fragility of blood vessels, physical activity, labor during childbirth, poor blood clotting.
• Lens diseases . Cataract accompanied by clouding of the lens. The disease is caused by age-related changes, impaired metabolism or injury.
• Corneal diseases . We are talking about inflammation of the cornea, which is caused by toxic substances, fungal and viral infections, and ulcers.
• Retinal diseases . Tears and peelings. This is also caused by damage to the yellow spot - the zone where the largest number of light-sensitive receptors is concentrated.

The factors and causes that lead to a sharp deterioration in vision are serious, so at the first signs, immediately go to an ophthalmologist.

How to treat visual impairment

Now let's talk about treatment.

• First of all, go see an ophthalmologist. He will review your complaints, examine your eye, and conduct a computer diagnostic that will help you thoroughly examine your vision.
• Regardless of your doctor's diagnosis, give your eyes a break. Do not strain, especially if the doctor has identified a problem. Minimize the amount of time you watch TV and work at the computer, because interacting with technology is harmful to the eyes.
• Go for a walk or sit with friends in the cafeteria. If you don’t plan to leave the house, replace watching TV with general cleaning, washing, or checking things out.
• Exercises that you do three times a day will help restore your vision. For this purpose, a simple exercise is provided - switch your vision from near objects to distant objects.
• Take medications prescribed by your doctor, whether drops or vitamin supplements. Be sure to change your diet by adding a number of healthy foods.
• Folk remedies, including valerian infusion, will also help achieve the goal. Fifty grams of powder made from valerian root, pour a liter of wine and wait two weeks. After straining the infusion, drink a spoonful three times a day.
• A good remedy for improving vision is a collection of eyebright, cornflowers and calendula. Combine the herbs in equal quantities and steam in the oven for 2 hours. Before going to bed, make lotions from napara.
• Lead a healthy lifestyle that has a positive effect on your vision. It provides for a whole set of measures, the observance of which is mandatory throughout life, and not only in the case of deteriorating vision.
• Get enough sleep, follow a daily routine, eat properly and balanced, go for walks, take vitamins. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes, the effects of which are detrimental to your eyes.

Visual acuity is the main parameter of the visual system. Normal acuity is considered to be vision equal to one. As a result of various diseases or age-related changes, a decrease in visual acuity may occur.

Causes of decreased visual acuity

There are many reasons for deterioration in visual acuity. All of them are divided into two types:

• optical. Associated with defects in the optics of the eye. They cause diseases such as farsightedness, astigmatism, and myopia. A decrease in visual acuity in this case manifests itself in clouding and blurriness of the image of objects at any distance;
• sensory. Impaired light perception and visual processing. Deterioration in light perception usually occurs due to disease of the retina, optic nerve, or brain. Symptoms of decreased visual acuity with impaired light perception are also known.

Diagnostics of visual acuity

Diagnosis of decreased visual acuity is carried out by an ophthalmologist. The most common diagnostic method is to use a 12-row table of letters, rings or pictures. The table is compiled in such a way that a person with normal visual acuity can easily distinguish the tenth line of letters or images from a distance of 5 meters. Each top row of the table corresponds to a visual acuity of 0.1. If a person does not see the signs of the first row, then his visual acuity is less than 1.0. In complete blindness, vision is 0.
Another method of examination for decreased visual acuity is testing using special light projectors that transmit images of letters and signs to a screen in a darkened room.

To determine retinal visual acuity when the optical media of the eye are clouded, a laser retinometer is used. Each eye must be examined separately, since visual acuity may differ for each eye. The examination usually begins with the right eye.

Treatment of decreased visual acuity

When the first signs of decreased visual acuity appear, you should consult a doctor, since very often such deterioration progresses and leads to partial or complete loss of vision. Treatment is primarily aimed at correcting the underlying disease. Typically, the patient is prescribed glasses with individually selected lenses. This will help improve the quality of vision and relieve unnecessary eye strain. It is very important not to overstrain your eyes and observe the light regime. In addition to drug therapy for the underlying disease, a complex of vitamins for the eyes is prescribed: A, B, C, E, lutein. It is possible to prescribe hardware procedures, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis. Eye gymnastics is a must. A set of measures to improve visual acuity is selected individually and depends on many indicators of the condition of the human body as a whole.

A decrease in visual acuity for no apparent reason can be caused by eye fatigue. In this case, rest and reduction of visual load are indicated. Typically, this deterioration in eye health is reversible and does not require serious medical or surgical treatment.