When you think about your vision, you may focus on your
ability to see objects in your central visual field. However, your peripheral
vision, which allows you to see objects out of the corners of your eyes, also
counts as an important part of eyesight. Poor peripheral vision may increase
your risks for accidents and injuries.
A variety of health conditions can limit your peripheral
vision. Some of these conditions, such as migraines, may produce only a
temporary loss of peripheral vision, while others can threaten your eyesight
with steady, progressive deterioration. Take a look at four issues that can
lead to chronic peripheral vision loss.
1. Glaucoma
Glaucoma involves the destruction of the optic nerve fibers
that relay visual information to the brain. Typically, the drainage mesh that
normally drains excess eye fluid starts to fail, allowing pressure to build up
inside the eye. This pressure destroys the optic nerves, resulting in
progressive, permanent vision loss.
Although a variant known as narrow-angle glaucoma can
produce sudden, acute vision loss and other alarming symptoms, most people with
this disorder have open-angle glaucoma. In open-angle glaucoma, sluggish fluid
drainage creates a slow deterioration in vision, starting with a reduction in
peripheral vision.
Fortunately, eye doctors know how to slow or even arrest
glaucoma's progress before you lose significant eyesight. Your ophthalmologist
may prescribe pills or eye drops to help regulate your internal eye pressure.
If medication fails, state-of-the-art laser surgery can improve eye drainage
and spare your optic nerves from further damage.
2. Retinal Detachment
Even a healthy optic nerve cannot relay visual data to the
brain if it never receives that data from the retina. A thin layer of retinal
tissue covers the interior surface of the eyeball, collecting incoming light.
Trauma, systemic health conditions, or abnormal blood vessel growth can make
part of the retina detach and lose function.
Individuals who experience retinal detachment typically
lose part of their peripheral vision, describing the symptom as a veil or
curtain lowered over that part of their field of vision. If you experience this
symptom, schedule an immediate evaluation. Prompt diagnosis may allow your
ophthalmologist to perform sight-saving surgery.
3. Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinal issues can deprive you of your peripheral vision
even if you don't detach a retina. An inherited group of disorders collectively
called retinitis pigmentosa affects some 100,000 people
in
the U.S. alone. In retinitis pigmentosa, the retina lacks the protein it needs
to maintain healthy light-detecting cells.
Retinitis pigmentosa can affect your daytime sharpness of
vision, but it most commonly impairs night vision and peripheral vision.
Although medical science currently has no cure for retinitis pigmentosa, your
ophthalmologist can help you optimize your remaining vision with corrective
lenses and assistive devices.
4. Ptosis
Not all cases of peripheral vision loss involve structural
problems in the eye itself. Some people struggle with a condition called
ptosis. In ptosis, drooping eyelid tissue forms a physical barrier that
prevents you from seeing out of the far corners of your eyes properly.
Treatment for ptosis depends on the condition's underlying
cause. For instance, if weak or loose muscles have allowed eyelid tissue to
droop, you may benefit from a medication called oxymetazoline. Corrective
surgery can remove excess fat or tighten lax muscles. It can also reduce ptosis
caused by neurological issues.
If you worry about the state of your peripheral vision,
seek out the specialists at Calvert Ophthalmology Center. We can administer a
variety of diagnostic tests to check your range of vision, identify any
problems that limit your eyesight, and provide medical treatment as
needed. Contact
our
clinic today for an appointment.
