NH cares
Sudden Blindness: Understanding Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
Sudden Blindness is a condition when you suddenly find it difficult to see. People think that sudden vision loss is the same as complete blindness. However, they are not the same. You might experience blurry vision. You might feel like you are suffering from a sudden loss of peripheral vision. Else, you might even feel like a sudden loss of your central vision. All of these three problems fall under Sudden Blindness. The duration of Sudden Blindness can vary. It may last for only a few seconds or many hours. There is a chance that Sudden Blindness may be permanent if treatment is not received at the appropriate time.
Sudden partial vision loss can be caused due to multiple reasons. Migraines are the most common causes of temporary vision loss. Migraines may cause blind spots or you may feel like you are seeing flashing lights. Migraines cause Sudden Blindness in both eyes. Giant cell arteritis is another cause of temporary blindness in one eye. This can cause temporary vision loss in people who are over 50 years old. If left untreated, it can cause long-term or permanent blindness too. Another cause of temporary vision loss is retinal vasospasm in which blood flow is impacted due to the tightening of the blood vessels in your retina.
Closed-angle glaucoma can lead to temporary blindness in one eye due to excessive pressure on the eye. This is caused due to the bulging of the iris in your eye which prevents eye fluid to drain properly. It can lead to a host of different problems. You can see halos and may experience sudden blurred vision. If this is not diagnosed and treated on time, then it may lead to permanent vision loss as well. Another cause of Sudden Blindness is vitreous hemorrhage in which blood leakage occurs. This can cause blockage of light which then cannot enter the eye and it makes it difficult for you to view anything.
There are some rare causes of sudden loss of vision. A retinal migraine can cause Sudden Blindness in one eye. You may not be able to see for about 20 minutes. This may happen right before your migraine or when you are having a headache. Epileptic seizures can cause migraines although these are rare occurrences. About 10% of people who suffer from epilepsy, the seizures can have an impact on the occipital lobe. This can cause loss of vision when the seizure is taking place or after the seizure.
Another rare cause of Sudden Blindness is uhthoff phenomenon which affects people who have multiple sclerosis. People with multiple sclerosis who experience a rise in their body temperature can become temporarily blind in one or both eyes. Retinal vein occlusion rarely causes Sudden Blindness but it can still lead to temporary vision loss. In this condition, a retinal vein gets blocked. This blockage can be caused due to a blood clot. Temporary loss of vision can eventually lead to a buildup of fluid in the eye which can cause further swelling.
Sudden total vision loss can be caused due to a clot. A formation of a clot can cause temporary vision loss which can lead to a permanent or total loss of vision when prompt treatment is not undertaken. Temporary blindness can last for about half an hour, after which if treatment is not undertaken, you may lose your vision permanently. The clot blocks the retinal artery which may cause blindness. Else, it can be caused when there is blockage due to a clot in a blood vessel.
Here are some of the factors that may make you more prone to becoming blind. These are:
Blindness can be prevented if you get your eyes checked regularly. Periodic eye examinations will ensure you are treated early in case you have any eye problems or in case of any sudden occurrences. This can prevent you from losing your vision. When you are diagnosed with a certain type of eye disease, then following your ophthalmologist’s instructions about what care needs to be taken are of high importance. This can help treat your problem. At any point, if you feel like you are suffering from blindness or any type of vision loss then you should make an appointment with your ophthalmologist at the earliest to ensure speedy treatment.
You must get your children's eyes checked when they are 6 months old and then when they are 3 years old. When they turn 6 years old, you should get their eyes checked once a year to ensure their eyes remain healthy and they have no trace of blindness. However, if you feel like they have symptoms of eye disease or any eye problem, then it is best to get their eyes checked by an ophthalmologist at the earliest. Waiting for the eye problem to go away on its own is never the solution and it can lead to permanent vision loss for children. This is why contacting an ophthalmologist is mandatory.
Some forms of blindness occur due to improper diet or diet lacking nutritional value. In such cases, blindness can be prevented by ensuring you are taking a proper diet. Proper eye protection can reduce the chances of you being blind. When an eye problem is detected early, blindness can be prevented as long as you take the necessary precautions suggested by your ophthalmologist. For instance, when glaucoma is detected early, on-time & appropriate measures can be undertaken to prevent blindness. Your ophthalmologist is the one who can best tell you which form of treatment is most suitable for you according to your case.
You should focus on eating foods that are low on sugar levels if you have diabetes. Managing your diabetes and controlling your blood sugar levels will help prevent blindness that can be caused due to diabetes. Proper exercise and maintaining a healthy weight is good for your overall health and your eyes too. You should focus on healthy habits and avoiding anything that raises your risk of becoming blind in the future. While some things might be out of your control, you should focus on things that you can control. You should ensure that if you are obese, you work towards getting healthier as a healthier weight decreases the risk of any type of blindness.
It is important to remember that some forms of blindness occur as people continue to live longer than their predecessors. While no prevention measures are available for such causes of blindness, research is continually being carried out.
An ophthalmologist or eye specialist will diagnose blindness by conducting several tests for adults. In the tests, each eye is individually diagnosed. This is because you can have Sudden Blindness in one eye or both eyes. Your doctor will check how clear you can see and how far you can see. He will then perform tests to see how your pupils are being affected when there is light and check if your pupils dilate when they are exposed to direct light. Your doctor will then test how well your eye muscles are functioning. Your eyes’ general health will be analyzed with the help of a biomicroscopy test.
How blindness is treated depends entirely on the cause of the blindness. If eyeglasses can help with treatment, then your ophthalmologist will advise you to use eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you see clearer and better. People who are blind because of refractive errors need to be given eyeglasses for treatment. In some cases, your doctor will prescribe medication that can help restore vision. For instance, people who have become blind because of inflammatory-related issues can get medications for treating their blindness. People who suffer from blindness caused due to infections can have medicines as a treatment option too.
For people who have blindness due to nutritional deficiency, they can be given proper nutrition for the treatment of blindness. In some cases, surgery can help treat blindness. For example, people who have cataracts can have cataract surgery for treating blindness. People who suffer from visual impairment due to corneal scarring can get treated with the help of corneal transplantation surgery. Not all treatments may be appropriate for your case. Your ophthalmologist will let you know about which treatment is most appropriate for you and which one will benefit you the most.
People with partial blindness who cannot be treated to restore their vision need to understand how to live with limited visual abilities. Your ophthalmologist will provide everything you need to know about how to make things easier for yourself. For instance, you can increase the size of the text on your laptop or computer. You can use a magnifying glass when you are reading books if that is easier for you. Rather than ebooks, you can opt for audiobooks as this will make things easier for you. Also, you can think of ways that you can do things easily without straining yourself too much.
The cause determines the prognosis of blindness. However, if you can quickly get the required treatment, then there are higher chances of you being able to protect your vision and restoring it. If you take preventative measures to ensure that you are taking optimal care of your eyes then the long term outlook is good. Vision loss can be prevented with early diagnosis and proper treatment. For example, in the case of cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma, the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better the outlook.
There are some causes of blindness that cannot be prevented or treated. For example, people who have suffered from blindness because of the damage to the optic nerve have a less favorable outlook. Moreover, people who became blind because of stroke have an unfavorable outlook too. People who have retinal detachment for a long time don’t have a good outlook either. Your ophthalmologist is the best person who can give you accurate information about what the outlook is like depending on the cause of your blindness.
© Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd | All Rights Reserved
