Vision Defects and Eye Conditions

Early detection and treatment of eye problems in children can help prevent serious vision problems, improve a child's quality of life, and help a child succeed in school.

Retinal detachment can cause blurred vision, flashes of light, floaters, and sometimes a curtain-like shadow over the field of vision.

Age-related changes in the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance that fills the eye, can cause it to pull away from the retina, leading to retinal detachment.

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the blood vessels in the retina. It can lead to the growth of abnormal blood vessels, which can cause bleeding, leakage, and scarring in the retina.

Dry AMD is the most common form of age-related macular degeneration. It is characterized by the accumulation of drusen, small yellow deposits, in the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.

Age-related macular degeneration can lead to the formation of scar tissue in the macula, which can result in loss of central vision.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disease that affects premature infants. It is caused by the abnormal development of blood vessels in the retina.

Retinal detachment occurs when the retina separates from the underlying layer of the eye, the choroid. Fluid can accumulate beneath the retina, causing it to detach further.

The treatment for retinal detachment depends on the severity of the detachment and the underlying cause. It may involve laser surgery, vitrectomy, scleral buckle, or a combination of these procedures.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. It can lead to loss of peripheral vision, and if left untreated, can progress to blindness.

Stargardt disease is an inherited retinal disorder characterized by the accumulation of lipofuscin in the retinal cells. It typically affects children and young adults, causing progressive loss of central vision.

Usher syndrome is a group of genetic disorders that affect both hearing and vision. It can cause progressive hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosa, and balance problems.

Age-related macular degeneration is characterized by the accumulation of drusen in the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in men in the United States.

Color blindness is not a type of visual impairment considered in Paralympic classification. Blindness, low vision, and nystagmus are the three main types of visual impairments.