What is low vision?
If ordinary eyeglasses, contact lenses or interocular lens implants don’t give you clear vision, you are said to have low vision, a condition not be confused with blindness. People with low vision can still have useful vision that can often be improved with visual devices.

What causes low vision?
Low vision can result from a variety of diseases, disorders, and injuries that affect the eye. Many people with low vision have age-related macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy. Age-related macular degeneration accounts for almost 45 percent of all cases of low vision.

Who is at higher risk for low vision?
People age 65 and older, as well as African- Americans and Hispanics over age 45, are at higher risk. African- Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk for low vision because they are at higher risk for developing diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, and African- Americans are at a higher risk for developing glaucoma.

What can be done for low vision?
There are two types of devices, optical and non-optical, that may improve low vision. Optical devices include magnifying spectacles, hand magnifiers, stand magnifiers and telescopes. Non-optical devices include large print reading material, check writing guides, machines that talk (timers, clocks, computers) and machines that scan print and read aloud. Correct lighting is very important for low vision disorder.