What is blindness?

Blindness is the complete, or almost complete, loss of sight in your eyes. Some people who are blind can’t see anything at all. Most people who are blind have some vision, but not enough to manage day-to-day life.

You are legally blind if one of the following applies to you:

• You can’t read a sign that’s 6 metres away, but that someone with normal vision can read from 60 metres away.
• Your field of vision is less than 20 degrees across.

Low vision is not necessarily the same as blindness. You may have low vision if:

• your eyesight can’t be improved as much as you’d like by using glasses or contact lenses
• your life is affected by your poor vision

If you have colour ‘blindness’, you are not blind. People with colour blindness have problems recognising some colours or see them differently from other people.

What are the symptoms of blindness?

Different people have different experiences of vision loss or blindness, depending on what is causing it.

Symptoms may include:

• loss of peripheral vision — where you can see what’s right in front of you, but not what’s off to the side
• loss of central vision — where you have dark spots in the middle of your field of vision, but not around the sides
• blurred vision
• problems with glare
• trouble with reading or recognising people
• problems seeing properly at night
• changes in how colours look.

What causes blindness?

In Australia, vision loss and blindness are most often caused by eye problems that become more common as you get older, such as:

• macular degeneration — causes loss of central vision
• cataracts — cause blurred or distorted vision
• diabetic retinopathy — causes vision loss by damage to the small blood vessels in the retina, which is at the back of your eye
• glaucoma — cause vision loss this starts with loss of peripheral vision because of damage to the optic nerve, which is the nerve in the back of your eye

Vision problems and blindness can sometimes be congenital (present from birth). Causes include:

• genetic conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa
• retinopathy of prematurity, which can affect babies born early
• infections during pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) or rubella
• congenital cataracts

Other causes of vision loss include:

• accidents and injuries that damage the eyes
• head injuries
• stroke

Trachoma is an eye infection that can cause blindness. It is found in remote areas of Australia and is a common cause of blindness in some Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are 3 times more likely to have low vision or blindness than other Australians.

When should I see my doctor?

If you notice any changes in your vision, see your doctor or optometrist. Often, diagnosing an eye problem early can save your sight or prevent your vision from getting worse.

If you have diabetes, make sure to get an eye check once a year. You can register with the KeepSight program through Diabetes Australia to remind you when your eye check is due.

How is blindness diagnosed?

Your doctor or optometrist will examine your eyes and test your vision. They might refer you to an ophthalmologist.

Your ophthalmologist will check your eyes and might refer you for further tests. You might have photos taken of your retina (the back of your eye).

Babies born in Australia have their eyes checked routinely at well baby visits. If your baby is at high risk of vision problems, they will continue to have regular eye checks.

How is blindness treated?

Treatments for vision loss and blindness depend on what problem you have with your eyes:

• If you have macular degeneration, an ophthalmologist might give you injections into your eye to help you see well for as long as possible.
• If you have a cataract, your ophthalmologist might remove the cloudy lens in your eye and replace it with a plastic lens.
• If you have glaucoma, eye drops can help.
• Laser surgery may be an option for some people.

Sometimes no treatment is available, but there is support available to help you live well with blindness.

Living well with blindness

There are techniques and devices available to help you continue your daily activities— such as magnifiers, better lighting and talking devices.

An occupational therapist can help you make changes at home. Mobility specialists can help you learn to get around safely and independently. You might learn to use a cane to help you get around. You might prefer to access the services of a guide dog, who can help you get around with confidence while also providing companionship.

You might choose to attend a support group to meet other people living with blindness or see a psychologist to help you adjust.

Can blindness be prevented?

An eye test can pick up problems early and prevent vision loss. Talk to your doctor or optometrist about how often you should have an eye test. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are at higher risk of eye health problems and should have regular eye tests.

Here are some things you can do to help look after your eyes:

• Wear sunglasses and a hat when you’re out in the sun.
• Avoid or quit smoking.
• Eat a balanced, healthy diet including plenty of antioxidants.
• Get regular exercise.
• Wear safety glasses for activities that can cause eye injuries.
• If you have diabetes, maintain good control of your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Complications of blindness

Blindness can increase your risk of:

• falls
• hip fracture
• depression
• social isolation