Regular eye exams are an important part of finding eye diseases and if detected early enough, your doctor can help manage or treat the condition.
Here are the most common eye diseases that can lead to vision loss:
- Diabetic Retinopathy
Living with diabetes can put you at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. This condition occurs when blood vessels in the retina become swollen or leak when blood sugar levels are too high. Monitoring and controlling your blood sugar and blood pressure levels can help prevent retinopathy. - Cataracts
This condition occurs when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and causes blurry vision. Risk factors such as smoking, heavy drinking, diabetes, and UV light exposure can lead to cataracts. - Glaucoma
When fluid pressure in the eye builds up over time, it has the potential to damage the optic nerve. While lost eyesight cannot be restored, preventive measures can protect what’s left of the remaining vision. - Macular Degeneration
Partial vision loss could be attributed to macular degeneration. With age, the small center portion of the retina, the macula, can begin to deteriorate. Risk factors include smoking, being overweight, and having light-colored eyes.
All the conditions listed above share a common characteristic, no early warning signs. Getting an annual eye exam is vital to protecting your vision, even if your vision is fine.
Visit vsp.com to learn more about vision health.
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