Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve, typically due to high eye pressure. It’s often referred to as the “silent thief of sight” because it sneaks up on you with little to no warning signs until significant vision loss occurs. The most common types are open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma, with the former being more prevalent.
Regular eye check-ups are incredibly important, especially if you have risk factors like a family history of glaucoma, are over 60, or have conditions like diabetes. Catching glaucoma early is the best way to avoid significant vision loss. At our Sioux Falls eye care center, our eye doctors can provide treatment in the initial stages of glaucoma to slow its progression and help prevent vision loss. Without regular eye doctor visits, glaucoma can go undetected and untreated, potentially advancing to a stage where it results in low vision.
What is low vision?
Low vision is a visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected with standard glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery. It is not the same as blindness; people with low vision still have some degree of usable sight. With low vision, vision loss is significant enough to interfere with daily activities such as reading, driving, recognizing faces, or watching television.
Low vision treatment for glaucoma
If you’ve already experienced significant vision loss due to glaucoma or another condition, our experts at The Eye Doctors P.C. can help you make the most of your remaining vision. We offer various low vision treatment options in Sioux Falls to help you improve your quality of life and maintain your independence:
- Magnifying devices: We can provide handheld and stand magnifiers, as well as electronic magnifiers, to make reading and detailed tasks easier by enhancing the size of text and images.
- Specialized eyewear: We can prescribe specialized glasses, including high-powered and telescopic lenses, along with filters to improve contrast and reduce glare while reading or watching TV.
- Lighting solutions: Proper lighting is crucial, and we can offer advice on optimal lighting setups for your home or workspace, including adjustable lamps and task lighting.
- Electronic visual aids: We can recommend digital tools such as screen readers, electronic magnifiers, and text-to-speech programs that can help you navigate technology and daily tasks.
- Non-optical aids: We also provide non-optical aids like large-print books, high-contrast watches, and talking devices to make everyday tasks more manageable.
Don’t let low vision affect your quality of life. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us today!