Prevent Vision Loss: 5 Medical Conditions That Can Cause Blindness

Different medical conditions have a different impact on the body, and some conditions affect the vision. Read on to know more about it.Vision is one of the five important senses. The eyes and the brain work in sync to instantly collect information. Loss of vision can have a major impact on a person’s life and make them entirely dependent on others to perform everyday chores. In short, life without sight could be unimaginable.Vision impairment can happen due to various eye disorders and medical conditions. And, depending on the cause of blindness, timely medical treatment can help restore the vision. The NPCB and VI – National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment is a government scheme that undertakes various schemes to reduce the prevalence of blindness in India. The scheme, which was launched in 1976, reduced blindness to 0.3% by 2020.According to NPCB and VI, apart from the injuries and accidents, certain medical conditions can cause blindness. Let us look at the common medical condition that can lead to loss of sight.

• Glaucoma This is one of the most major reasons of blindness that is irreversible. It is essentially an eye disease that is caused due to progressive damage to the optic nerve. In most cases, Glaucoma occurs due to abnormally high pressure in the eye. And, if the condition worsens, it could lead to permanent loss of vision.
• Diabetic Retinopathy When there is excess blood sugar in the blood, the risk of lack of blood supply to the retina increases. This can cause damage to the blood vessels. The common symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy include blurred vision and inability to see at night. The condition, if left untreated for long, can cause total loss of sight. But, if you get a timely medical attention, blindness can be prevented.
• Macular Degeneration This disease affects the eyes, and if left untreated for long, it can lead to vision loss. And, it is mostly prevalent among people who are aged over 60 years. The condition develops when the central point of the retina, which is known as the macular, wears off. Vision loss does not occur in the early stages of the disease, but if you don’t get proper medical care, it can happen in later stages. The key to getting cured entirely of this condition is to get adequate and regular treatment
• Cataract Cataract is a common eye disease prevalent among both men and women who are older than 50 years. And, it is one of the major reasons of low vision issues and blindness worldwide. In this condition, the eye lens tends to get cloudy because of the protein mass build-up. A cataract is not a severe condition and can be easily treated through a minor surgery that involves removing the Cataract.
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• Eye injuries Apart from the above-mentioned medical conditions , vision loss can also occur due to traumatic injuries. For instance, loss of blood flow to the retina or optic nerve can lead to a condition called eye stroke. It can result in temporary or permanent loss of sight, depending on how severe the case is and how promptly you get medical attention.

While you may take all the necessary preventive measures and follow the doctor’s instruction to get cured of the eye-related diseases, it is paramount that you get yourself sufficient insurance cover to get financial protection from the treatment expenses. Sometimes, depending on how severe your case is, the treatment cost can be huge and affect your savings.To mitigate the situation, it is best advised to purchase a comprehensive health care plan to get coverage against the treatment expenses. However, make sure that you read the policy's inclusions and exclusions to know if it covers the exact eye condition you have before signing the documents.

The information contained herein is generic in nature and is meant for educational purposes only. Nothing here is to be construed as an investment or financial or taxation advice nor to be considered as an invitation or solicitation or advertisement for any financial product. Readers are advised to exercise discretion and should seek independent professional advice prior to making any investment decision in relation to any financial product. Aditya Birla Capital Group is not liable for any decision arising out of the use of this information.