Low vision is a condition that involves a minimal ability to see (particularly central vision) that is unresolved or uncorrected with traditional eyeglasses, contact lens, intraocular lens implants, or corrective surgery. However, in some cases, persons with low vision may be aided with special visual devices.

Low vision means having a level of vision where you need more than just glasses or contact lenses to see well enough to read or do everyday tasks. Your central or side vision, or both, may be reduced. Your vision may not be able to be corrected with surgery, but you can still see something. And with the help of vision aids you can still stay independent. A person may have low vision as the result of an injury to the eye or one of a number of eye related conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Some people are also born with low vision.

Even with glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, people who have low vision find everyday activities difficult to do. Due to vision loss, about one in 20 Americans find it challenging to read the mail, shop, cook, watch television or write, cites the National Eye Institute. Many people have low vision due to age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of low vision depend on the cause of vision loss and where the problem is in the eye.

Symptoms can include:

• Blank spots, dark spots or wavy lines in the center of your vision
• Blurred, hazy or cloudy vision or double vision
• Loss of side (peripheral) vision

What causes low vision?
There are a variety of different causes of low vision, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Macular degeneration (the most common cause of low vision; involves damage to a person's central vision making it difficult to read, drive, or perform other daily activities that require fine, central vision)
• Aging (Aging is a risk factor for low vision, however, persons of any age may be affected.)
• Congenital defects (present at birth)
• Injury
• Disease (including diabetes)
• Other eye diseases (i.e., glaucoma, cataracts)
  
  Follow these links to find out more about four very common low vision conditions.
  
  Age-related Macular Degeneration
  
  Cataracts
  
  Glaucoma
  
  Diabetic Retinopathy