Visual impairment is a term use to describe any kind of vision loss, whether it’s someone who cannot see at all or someone who has partial vision loss. Some people are completely blind, but many others have what’s called legal blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines visual impairment as a presenting acuity of less than 6/12 in the better eye, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology defines it as the best-corrected visual acuity of less than 20/40 in the better eye. According to WHO, globally, around 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. In at least one billion, or almost half, of these, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.
Visual impairments include low vision and blindness and refer to any degree of impairment to a person’s ability to see that affects his or her daily life. Children with visual impairment often feel that the world has a language that they do not understand. There are many different terms that parents may come across, and most do not have any exact definitions. Thus, parents must learn some basic terminology about this disorder to make the process as smooth and painless as possible for children.While there is some controversy over a definition of visual impairment, there are several international guidelines. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) defines several different categories of visual impairment, which are based on WHO recommendations.
In the past few years, substantial studies have been conducted regarding the prevalence and distribution of blindness and less severe visual impairment in worldwide populations. Recent reviews and studies have suggested that the definition of visual impairment should be revised to reflect the complexities of the field. A retinal examination will be performed, and a visual field test will be used to measure blind spots and assess vision in the field. A comprehensive eye examination will determine the cause of vision loss and prescribe treatment. Preoperative testing is a routine part of cataract surgery. These exams allow doctors to see inside the eye, and it is the most common method of diagnosing vision loss.
As per market survey by Coherent Market Insights,North America visual impairment products and services market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,906.5 million in 2021 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 8.7% over the forecast period (2021-2028).
Individuals with vision impairment have difficulty performing everyday tasks, & report poorer health, which complicates the management of chronic diseases. Vision rehabilitation services improve quality of life and decrease the incidence of vision loss. In order to detect most visual impairments, doctor will start with the standard eye chart test. One may have to look through a series of different lenses as well. Sometimes doctors shine lights in the eyes and look deep into the pupils for damage to retina and optic nerve. Most common causes of visual impairment globally are uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, and glaucoma. The majority of people with vision impairment and blindness are over the age of 50 years.
However, vision loss can affect people of all ages. The WHO estimates that over 80% of visual impairment is preventable or curable with treatment. Vision rehabilitation is very effective in improving functioning for people with irreversible vision impairment that can be caused by eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration.
