Table of contents:
- What is called blindness?
- What are the most common causes of blindness?
- 1. Cataracts
- 2. Glaucoma
- 3. Macular degeneration
- 4. Diabetic retinopathy
- 5. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP)
The cause of blindness can be from various conditions, but it is often caused by certain eye diseases or disorders. In a normal eye, light entering the eye through the cornea and lens will be focused by the iris to form an image. The light is then projected onto the back wall of the eye, where it is sensed by the millions of tiny nerve endings that make up the retina. From here, the retina translates the image into nerve stimuli which are passed to the brain via the optic nerve. When one of these parts of the eye is damaged, either due to illness or injury, blindness can occur. Therefore, you must always be aware of your eye health, especially in the following conditions as the most common causes of blindness.
What is called blindness?
People who will suffer from blindness usually experience visual disturbances first, which then will develop into blindness. Blindness can affect one or both eyes, and doesn't always lead to total darkness. Many people who are considered blind can still see some light or shadow, but cannot see everything clearly.
What are the most common causes of blindness?
1. Cataracts
Cataract is the opacity of the eye lens. In cataract treatment, the lens inside the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial clear lens. In diabetic retinopathy, the retinal blood vessels are affected and begin to leak. Treatment involves photocoagulation by using a laser to destroy the leaky blood vessels and prevent abnormal blood vessel growth (angiogenesis). Cataracts can usually be recognized immediately by a cloudy area in the pupil.
2. Glaucoma
Glaucoma usually occurs when the fluid pressure inside one or both eyes increases slowly. This pressure damages the optic nerve and retina, leading to a gradual decrease in peripheral vision. Vision loss due to glaucoma cannot be reversed, but the disease can be managed through the use of prescription eye drops or surgery. It is important to do regular eye checks, so that you can become aware of this condition early. That way, you can save your eyesight before it's too late.
3. Macular degeneration
The most common cause of blindness associated with aging is macular degeneration. Macular degeneration can cause loss of the center of vision due to the absence of photoreceptors (light-sensing cells). This condition is debilitating for parents who have difficulty walking and often stay indoors. Macular degeneration is a disease that affects the macula, which is the area responsible for the detailed and fine center of vision.
4. Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the systemic damage caused by diabetes begins to affect the retina. In particular, the blood vessels that nourish the retina can be negatively affected by diabetes, causing blindness due to bleeding and damage to the retina. The best treatment for diabetic retinopathy is to control diabetes more closely. If the disease is more severe, then the patient can undergo surgery to protect their eyes.
5. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP)
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) affects 1.6 million people worldwide and is a cause of inherited blindness. RP can cause slow but progressive blindness in overall vision. Like diabetic retinopathy, this disease is associated with loss of photoreceptors. To date, there is no appropriate treatment for RP. Mocular genetic therapy may provide a glimmer of hope, even though it carries great risks. It is important to remember, however, that even successful genetic repair can only slow or prevent further damage.
Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited eye condition. It affects the mid periphery of the retina, but the center of vision is not affected. Clinically, the first sign that can be observed is narrowing of the retinal arterioles (small arteries in the retina). Then, the retinal pigment formation known as "bone spica" and which changes the appearance of the optic nerve head is very clear.
