National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Vision Impairment and Blindness is the National Eye Institute
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Vision Impairment and Blindness
Also called: Low vision
Vision impairment, or low vision, means that even with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, you don't see well. Vision impairment can range from mild to severe. The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the United States are age-related eye diseases: macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma. Other eye disorders, eye injuries and birth defects can also cause vision loss.
A loss of vision means that you may have to reorganize your life and learn new ways of doing things. If you have some vision, visual aids such as special glasses and large print books can make life easier. There are also devices to help those with no vision, like text-reading software and braille books.
Sometimes, vision loss is preventable. Regular comprehensive eye exams and prompt treatment are critical.
NIH: National Eye Institute
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Start Here
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Low Vision: What You Should Know(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Low Vision: What You Should Know
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
, and
Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
, and
For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
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Healthy Eyes(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Low Vision
(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
- Also available in Spanish
- Low Vision(American Optometric Association)
- Vision Loss(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - In English and Spanish
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Healthy Eyes
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Latest News
- Eye Docs Must Do More to Spot Unsafe Older Drivers(10/11/2012, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
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Eye Disease Simulations(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Signs of Eye Problems in Adults(Prevent Blindness America)
- Symptoms of Eye Disorders(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Vision Symptoms(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
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Eye Disease Simulations
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Prevention/Screening
- Can't See Clearly? Get Your Eyes Checked(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Eye Exam(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- How Often Should I Have an Eye Exam?(Prevent Blindness America)
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Nutrition
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Cooking and Meals: Master Your Kitchen(American Foundation for the Blind)
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Cooking and Meals: Master Your Kitchen
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Coping
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Helping a Loved One (Who Has Vision Loss)(National Eye Institute)
- Living with Low Vision(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Living with Low Vision? Take These Steps to Help Keep Your Independence(Prevent Blindness America)
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Helping a Loved One (Who Has Vision Loss)
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Disease Management
- Low Vision Devices(American Optometric Association)
- Maintaining Quality of Life with Low Vision(American Occupational Therapy Association)
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MedlinePlus: Assistive Devices(National Library of Medicine)
- Also available in Spanish
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Specific Conditions
- Common Types of Low Vision(American Optometric Association)
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Related Issues
- Abnormal Head Position(American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Cell Phone Accessibility (for the Visually Impaired)(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Checklist for Environmental Safety(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Checklist for Your Eye Doctor Appointment(Prevent Blindness America)
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Talking to Your Doctor(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Tips for Computer Users with Low Vision(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Tips for Runners with Visual Impairments(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Visual Acuity: What Is 20/20 Vision?(American Optometric Association)
- Visually Impaired Fire Safety(United States Fire Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
- What Is Braille?(American Foundation for the Blind)
- What Is Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)?(Federal Communications Commission)
- Also available in Spanish
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Pictures & Photographs
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Eye Examinations(National Eye Institute)
- Impairments to Vision(National Weather Service)
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Low Vision Devices(National Eye Institute)
- Low Vision Simulations(National Weather Service)
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Eye Examinations
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Health Check Tools
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Do You Have Low Vision?(National Eye Institute)
- Vision Impairment(DSHI Systems)
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Do You Have Low Vision?
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Tutorials
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Low Vision
(National Eye Institute)
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Low Vision
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Videos
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Coping with Everyday Activities(National Eye Institute)
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Low Vision Devices(National Eye Institute)
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Low Vision Devices for the Home(National Eye Institute)
- Seeing - Encyclopedia
- Also available in Spanish
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What Is Low Vision?(National Eye Institute)
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Coping with Everyday Activities
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Games
- Braille Bug: Games(American Foundation for the Blind)
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Anatomy/Physiology
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Diagram of the Eye(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Normal Eye Anatomy(National Eye Institute)
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Diagram of the Eye
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Financial Issues
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Financial Aid for Eye Care(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Social Security: If You Are Blind Or Have Low Vision - How We Can Help(Social Security Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
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Financial Aid for Eye Care
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Amblyopia(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Blindness(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vision Disorders(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vision, Low(National Institutes of Health)
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Clinical Trials in Vision Research(National Eye Institute)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Amblyopia
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Alström syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Choroideremia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Deafness-dystonia-optic neuronopathy syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Leber hereditary optic neuropathy(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Manitoba oculotrichoanal syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Mucolipidosis type IV(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Ocular albinism(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Septo-optic dysplasia(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Wagner syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: X-linked congenital stationary night blindness(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Alström syndrome
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Research
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Amblyopia(National Eye Institute)
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Eye on NEI: Your Inside Look at Vision Research and Eye Health(National Eye Institute)
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Amblyopia
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Omega-3 for your eyes. Research finds DHA may help preserve...
- Article: Ivermectin for onchocercal eye disease (river blindness).
- Article: Onchocerciasis as a risk factor for night blindness.
- Vision Impairment and Blindness -- see more articles
- Blindness -- see more articles
- Low vision -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
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Low Vision Glossary(National Eye Institute)
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Low Vision Glossary
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Directories
- Dog Guide Schools in the United States(American Foundation for the Blind)
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Eye Health Organizations Database(National Eye Institute)
- Find a Pediatric Ophthalmologist(American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
- Find an Eye M.D.(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
- Find Services (for People with Vision Loss)(American Foundation for the Blind)
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Finding an Eye Care Professional(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Reading Services(American Macular Degeneration Foundation)
- Resources and Information for Parents about Braille(American Foundation for the Blind)
- State Agencies Specializing in Blindness and Visual Impairment(American Macular Degeneration Foundation)
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Organizations
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Law and Policy
- Consuming Interest: A Guide to Titles II and III of the ADA for People with Vision Loss(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Know Your Employment Rights: State Vocational Rehabilitation Services(American Foundation for the Blind)
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Statistics
- Disability Characteristics(Bureau of the Census)
- State-Specific Statistical Information (Vision Loss)(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Vision Problems in the U.S.(Prevent Blindness America)
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MedlinePlus Magazine
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Children
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Amblyopia(National Eye Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Amblyopia: What Is Lazy Eye?(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
- Also available in Spanish
- Blindness(Nemours Foundation)
- Early Interactions with Children Who Are Deaf-Blind(National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness)
- It's Time to Sit on the Potty! (Toilet Training with Your Child Who Has a Visual Impairment)(American Foundation for the Blind)
- Also available in Spanish
- Kids' Quest: Vision Impairment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Pediatric Ophthalmologist(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Your Child's Vision(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Your Eyes(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Amblyopia
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Teenagers
- Visual Impairment(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Seniors
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Get Your Vision Checked
(Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
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Low Vision(National Eye Institute)
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Get Your Vision Checked
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Patient Handouts
- Amblyopia
- Also available in Spanish
- Blindness and vision loss
- Also available in Spanish
- Home vision tests
- Also available in Spanish
- Ophthalmoscopy
- Also available in Spanish
- Standard ophthalmic exam
- Also available in Spanish
- Vision - night blindness
- Also available in Spanish
- Vision problems
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
