Blindness is known as the state of being sightless in both of the eyes. A totally blind person is not able to see anything, even light. However, the term “blindness” is commonly used to signify low vision or visual impairment in one or both eyes. This means that even with contact lenses, eyeglasses, medicine or even surgery, an individual does not see well. The terms blindness and blind have been modified to contain a large range of visual impairment.

The Top Common Causes Of Blindness

In the world, there are 300-400 million people who are visually impaired because of various causes. In this group, nearly 50 million people are completely blind and they are unable to see light in both eyes. And 80% of blindness is found in individuals over 50 years old.

In the article today, I would like to reveal some of the most common causes of blindness in details, so you should keep the head on the following interesting health facts and the major causes of blindness that you can suffer from. The major causes are:

1. Cataracts

Cataracts are the first out of the major causes of blindness that I would like to introduce in this entire article and want you and my other readers to learn and prevent cataracts for good! They are a clouding of the lenses occurring in the eyes. They will affect the vision and they are common in the elderly. They are one of the main causes of blindness. Some of the common symptoms of cataracts are blurry vision, unable to see at night, colors that seem faded, double vision and regular prescription changes in the eyewear.

To treat this eye problem, patients need to use anti-glare sunglasses, new glasses or magnifying lenses at first. Besides, surgery is also a good option for you. It involves in removing the clouding and then displacing it. Wearing a hat with a brim and sunglasses to block ultraviolet rays may aid to prevent cataracts.

Cataracts are actually a major cause of blindness, so pay attention to it!

2. Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is one of the common causes of blindness at age 60 and older. It is a disease, which can damage the central vision needed to see well. This also affects the possibility to read, watch television, drive and do daily activities. Age-related macular degeneration affects the macula that allows you to see objects clearly. It does not hurt, yet makes cells in the macula die. In some instances, this condition progresses slowly so people find difficult to notice little change in vision. In some cases, this disease advances faster and may cause vision loss in both of the eyes.

Although there is no treatment for macular degeneration disease at this time, regular eye exams can find this disease, thus treatment can be more effective. Besides, a study showed that a combination of minerals and vitamins can slow the development of this disease.

This is, in fact, one of the common causes of blindness that people should know and try to find out the way to prevent it from being serious.

Read More: 11 Best Natural Foods For Eye Health People Should Eat Regularly

3. Glaucoma

Glaucoma affects the optic nerve of eye and is one of the common causes of blindness. It often occurs when the fluid pressure slowly increase inside the eyes, thus damaging this optic nerve. There is often no clear symptom of glaucoma

in the first period, but a comprehensive eye exam can be effective in detecting it.

There are some groups of people should get a comprehensive eye exam at least every 2 years. They are people over 60 years old, especially Hispanics; African- American people over 40 years old and people with a family history of this disease. To deal with this glaucoma disease, they include surgery and prescription eye drops. There is no cure for this disease. Early treatment can limit glaucoma before blindness or vision loss really occurs. New study is focusing on lowering the pressure inside the eye and finding medications in order to protect the optic nerve from the damage that can lead to vision loss.

In fact, this is also among the major causes of blindness, so people should pay attention to this disease to minimize the risk of vision loss.

4. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by diabetes. It harms the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the eye’s back, and results in the blindness in adults. It can cause the vision loss of people diagnosed with diabetes at age 18 or older. Therefore, people with diabetes should get a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year.

Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with laser surgery or surgery. In the long run, people need to control blood sugar, cholesterol levels, blood pressure as well as regularly follow up.

This is in brief one of the common causes of blindness, so people should not look down it, but prevent it and enjoy a good eyesight.

Read More: Top 19 Good Fruits For Diabetics And High Blood Pressure

5. Rubella

According to a research, rubella or called German measles is associated with blindness. Neither adult nor child is likely to be affected permanently by this problem, but an unborn baby may be harmed very much. In case a woman, who is pregnant has this disease during the first 3 months of her pregnancy, the disease may affect her unborn child with serious results. Many babies are born to have physical problems such as heart disease, respiratory difficulties and hearing disorders. Many babies have cataracts, glaucoma, or defects in the retina or iris. Some preventive efforts should be made to minimize this risk to the unborn children. For example, women who may be in the early period of pregnancy should avoid getting any contact with cases of rubella.

This is actually also one out of the common causes of blindness that a lot of pregnant women in the world have to vaccinate to prevent their unborn babies from the threat of blindness.

6. Ophthalmia Neonatorum

Another out of the major causes of blindness that I would like to reveal in this entire article and want you and my other readers to know and remember to prevent is that ophthalmia neonatorum can be cause of blindness.

The name of this disease means inflammation in the eyes of a newborn child. It is one of the common causes of blindness, but now it can be preventable by modern hygiene as well as medical care. This disease occurs soon after birth, yet it is not inherited. It is caused by the bacteria from the birth canal of the mother into the eyes of the baby. Inflammation occurs in the cornea and eyelids and may be worse if not treated accordingly. Continue reading this entire article to discover other major causes of blindness!

7. Optic Nerve Hypoplasia And Optic Nerve Atrophy

This is also one of the major commons of blindness, which people should learn and make use for good, especially those struggling with abnormal conditions of the optic nerve.

Both conditions of the optic nerve may be a special concern of people who work with children. The optic nerve atrophy results from a condition after birth, but it can be inherited as well. Frequently, it results from resultant loss of blood supply to optic nerve. Without the blood supply, the nerve cells will die and of course, this may lead to blindness. In optic nerve hydroplasia, there is a deficiency of optic nerve fibers that may occur independently or in connection with other defects or disabilities. There are some studies to say that this disorder is related to drug or alcohol use by expectant mothers during the pregnancies, but in some cases, the cause of this condition is unknown.

8. Eye Injuries And Burns

Another one on the list of the common causes of blindness that I would like to reveal in the entire article today and want you and my other readers to know and then follow proper precautions for good if you do not want to lose vision. Adequate protective eye guards should be worn in all cases where the danger of injuries or burns exist. Everyone should be aware of the basic principles of first aid when an injury occurs. Besides, direct damage caused by the injury, the danger of infection may be more serious. Injury to a single eye may lead to pathologic symptoms in the other eye, which often meant that total blindness. Although the cause of sympathetic ophthalmia is not fully aware of, it can be prevented by medical care.

9. Myopia

Myopia is defined when the eyeball is longer than usual or when some changes in the eyeball make the light rays bent abnormally. Although most cases, people with nearsightedness need only wear prescribed lenses to see well, they are the aid to have myopia, which hardly causes blindness. Some individuals with this condition cannot see well even with corrective glasses. This is because complications such as cataracts, retinal detachment, secondary glaucoma may occur with progressive myopia. In fact, this is among the common causes of blindness so people should try to get a proper treatment to prevent their eyes from being blind.

10. Retinal Breaks

Sometimes, due to the aging process, inheritance, or other causes, people may have breaks in the retina, that may lead to blindness. Therefore, early detection and treatment of these problems can aid to prevent total blindness. Sometimes, there are some symptoms related to breaks in the retina such as haziness or smokiness, floaters or light flashes occurring in the eye.

This is also a great one on the list of the major causes of blindness that people should not look down but learn and consider getting an eye exam as soon as possible.

11. Retinitis Pigmentosa

This is the last but very important out of the common causes of blindness that I would like to reveal in this entire article and want you and my other readers to prevent if they are trying to enjoy a good eyesight. This condition is defined by degeneration of the retina as well as the choroid, often relating to an abnormal development of excessive pigment. At first, the person begins to find difficult to see at night and in places where are poorly lighted. His visual loss is progressive and gradually becomes legally blind and loses more vision thereafter. And total blindness often is the final result.

12. Uveitis

This condition is the inflammation of the uvea, which is the middle layer of the eye. Some main symptoms are blurring of vision, light sensitivity, eye pain and eye redness. This eye condition can harm other parts of the eye and may be serious to cause visual impairment or blindness. It may appear slowly with little pain or appear suddenly with redness and pain of the eye.

In addition to this, some things related to blindness you may pay attention to:

• The diagnosis of blindness will be made by comprehensive examination of the eye. The common symptoms of blindness are difficult to see at first. People who suddenly lose their vision rather than over several years.
• The treatment of blindness will depend on the exact cause of blindness.
• The blindness can be preventable through a combination of good medical care, education, and provision of glasses.

After reading this entire article about common causes of blindness, I want you and my other readers to read another article that introduces home remedies for eye infection – the How to treat eye infection naturally at home – 10 easy ways article. This is actually an interesting gathering of the best home remedies for eye infection that people can follow with ease and do not need to worry about harmful effects. These home remedies have already supported many people in the world effectively in dealing with eye infection, so readers of VKool.com should not skip out this recommended article and follow one or more of these tips for good.

This is the list of 12 major causes of blindness, which everyone who wants to get good eyesight, should read for good. In fact, these causes have already caused blindness in a lot of people, both of adults and children, so you should know them and follow the proper precaution to prevent you and other people around you from being blind.

After reading this list, in case you think that this list is good for your eye and can also help other people around you, you should share this list with them. In case you know other causes of blindness, remember to share them with us in the comment section below. I promise to reply you as soon as possible.

Some related articles about home remedies for eye diseases that you and other readers should read:

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19 Natural Home Remedies For Sore Eyes In Children And Babies

7 Reasons To Get An Eye Exam

28 Ways On How To Get Clear Eyes Naturally Without Eye Drops

24 Tips How to Treat Red Eyes at Home Without Eye Drops

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