Public Education

Vision changes and problems can be caused by many different conditions:

Presbyopia-- difficulty focusing on objects that are close. Often becomes noticeable in your early to mid 40s.

Cataracts-- cloudiness over the eye's lens, causing poor nighttime vision, halos around lights, and sensitivity to glare. Daytime vision is eventually affected. Common in the elderly.

Glaucoma-- increased pressure in the eye, causing poor night vision, blind spots, and loss of vision to either side. A major cause of blindness. Glaucoma can happen gradually or suddenly -- if sudden, it's a medical emergency.

Diabetic retinopathy -- this complication of diabetes can lead to bleeding into the retina. Another common cause of blindness.

Macular degeneration -- loss of central vision, blurred vision (especially while reading), distorted vision (like seeing wavy lines), and colors appearing faded. The most common cause of blindness in people over age 60.

Eye infection, inflammation, or injury.

Floaters-- tiny particles drifting across the eye. Although often brief and harmless, they may be a sign of retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment -- symptoms include floaters, flashes of light across your visual field, or a sensation of a shade or curtain hanging on one side of your visual field.

Optic neuritis -- inflammation of the optic nerve from infection or multiple sclerosis. You may have pain when you move your eye or touch it through the eyelid.