Causes of Vision Loss

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The leading causes of vision loss or blindness include:

• Glaucoma — a disease that causes gradual damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.
• Macular degeneration — a condition that affects the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision and is the most common cause of legal blindness and vision impairment in people over 60.
• Cataracts — a clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. This most likely results with advancing age.
• Diabetic retinopathy — a complication of diabetes where retinal blood vessels break down, leak or become blocked, impairing vision over time.
• Optic nerve atrophy — a degeneration of the optic nerve fibers which can lead to loss of clarity and/or changes in the field of vision.

Refer to the following web sites for more information on Vision Loss and Blindness.

• The Center for Partially Sighted
• Perkins School for the Blind
• The American Council of the Blind
• The American Foundation for the Blind
• The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind
• Prevent Blindness America
• The National Federation of the Blind
• American Printing House for the Blind
• Braille Institute of America
• The Seeing Eye
• National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
• AFB Senior Site
• “Guide to Braille Resources” by SuperSummary
• “Childproofing Your Home for a Child with Vision Impairment”
• RehabCenter.net – Addiction treatment and Rehab for Low Vision/Blind Individuals