Cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration are common causes of blindness. In developed countries, blindness is associated with aging, while in developing countries, preventable blindness due to infections and cataracts is more prevalent. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the US, while cataracts are the leading cause worldwide. Infectious causes of blindness are more common in developing countries and can be prevented with improvements in nutrition, medicine, and sanitation.
The most common causes of blindness include cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Other causes include diabetic retinopathy, childhood blindness and infectious diseases. The causes of blindness vary greatly between developed and developing countries. In developed countries, blindness occurs more often in conditions associated with aging. In developing countries, there is a much higher incidence of preventable blindness due to infections and cataracts.
In the United States, age-related glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. There are several types, but glaucoma causes damage to the retina and optic nerve, usually reducing the visual field. Glaucoma causes about 15% of all blindness in the United States. Screening for glaucoma after age 40 can prevent further vision loss if the disease is detected. After cataracts, it is the second most common cause of blindness in the world.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive deterioration of vision that can be part of the aging process. It doesn’t usually cause total blindness, but it can make it difficult to read or see things clearly. AMD has no cure and is not well understood when there is no obvious cause.
Retinal neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes and another leading cause of blindness in the United States. It occurs due to reduced circulation to the eye, which can damage the retina. Retinal neuropathy can worsen vision and can lead to complete blindness. Other causes in the United States include congenital blindness, accidents and infections.
In the United States, the most common eye problem requiring medical attention is cataracts, but it is not a common cause of blindness. Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens, which impairs vision by making it more difficult for light to pass through. Most people over the age of 50 have some clouding of the lens. Cataracts can be treated and vision restored with the implantation of an artificial lens. Cataracts go untreated in many developing countries, making them by far the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Infectious causes of blindness are quite rare in developed countries, but are much more common in developing countries. The resulting blindness is usually avoidable if the diseases are treated in their early stages. The most common infectious cause of blindness is trachoma, which can cause corneal scarring and total vision loss. It has been estimated that up to 80% of global blindness can be prevented through nutritional, medicinal and sanitation improvements.
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