What is Vision Loss?
Vision loss is a broad subjective term referred to as a pathological state leading to a decrease in one or more aspects of the visual function. It can happen at any age from the neonatal period to the elderly, but the prevalence increases with advancing age.
In this article, we are dealing with the vast presentations and features of vision loss. Of note, some disorders of vision could be prevented by simple measures (such as proper oral supplements), which is the final focus of this article.
Vision Loss; Importance of prevention
It is no doubt that “prevention is better than cure”. Prevention is much simpler, cheaper, and more effective than treatment for most conditions. Although the value of preventive medicine has been emphasized for centuries, its current role is still underestimated compared with therapeutic modalities.
In principle, every ocular condition could be prevented (at least to some extent) by appropriate and timely interventions. Thanks to recent advances in medical technology, even a gross congenital anomaly (or genetic disorders) of the fetus could be diagnosed in the uterus during pregnancy. Appropriate treatment of the congenital anomaly can be applied accordingly (including abortion in most severe cases).
While the prevention might be simple, cheap, and very effective in some conditions, it could be difficult to implement, costly, or less effective in other conditions. The former is referred to as preventable, and the latter is called non-preventable.
Vision Loss; Occupational eye injury
Occupational eye injury, for example, is a preventable condition and could be prevented in most cases by appropriate education and using protective glasses. On the other hand, Hereditary vision loss like hereditary night blindness (retinitis pigmentosa), is an inherited progressive eye disorder leading to blindness in many cases and currently has no effective prophylactic or therapeutic option.
A few years ago, a gene therapy solution (LUXTURNA) has become available for a specific type of retinitis pigmentosa. Although the introduction of this drug was a leap in preventive medicine, it is very expensive (about 1 million dollars), and the effect has not yet been approved in the long run.
