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Our Eye Disease Information Guide

Living with low vision can feel overwhelming, but many people, from children to seniors, experience vision loss that can’t be fully corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. Low vision can result from various conditions and eye diseases, but with the right care and low vision aids, it is still possible to live a rich, independent life.

At Low Vision Optometry of Southern California, we are here to help you understand what low vision really means, why it happens, and how we can support your visual independence. That is exactly why we want to help you understand the underlying eye diseases that could be contributing to low vision.

Why Understanding Eye Diseases Matters for Low Vision

Low vision is often the result of underlying eye diseases—many of which can be managed more effectively when caught early. Understanding these diseases isn’t just important for knowing what is affecting your vision—it is a powerful step toward reclaiming your independence.

From genetic disorders to age-related conditions, the more you know about what is happening in your eyes, the better equipped you will be to seek the right care. Knowing which eye disease is at play is essential because:

  • Each condition progresses differently
  • Early detection can preserve more vision
  • Personalized treatment can slow progression and improve quality of life

At Low Vision Optometry of Southern California, we help you see the bigger picture behind your symptoms, so we can build a plan that works for you.

How Eye Diseases Impact Your Vision

The way low vision manifests can vary dramatically based on the disease involved. Some reduce your peripheral vision, others impact central vision, and some affect your ability to adapt to light or see clearly at all distances. Here’s how specific eye diseases may alter your daily life:

  • Difficulty reading, driving, or recognizing faces
  • Increased sensitivity to light or glare
  • Trouble seeing in dim or bright lighting
  • Needing more magnification or lighting to complete tasks

These symptoms aren’t just inconvenient—they are indicators that something more serious may be affecting your vision health.

Eye Diseases That Commonly Cause Low Vision

  • What Is Choroideremia Thumbnail.jpg
    Choroideremia is a rare genetic condition that causes the gradual loss of peripheral and central vision. Fortunately, a low vision optometrist can help patients with choroideremia to live full, independent lives.
  • thumbnail man sitting on chair beside table 834863.jpg
    Macular Degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss today, and it is mostly age-related. A low vision optometrist will provide you with tools and devices that help you optimize your vision and carry out many more tasks than you thought possible.
  • Management of Ocular Diseases Thumbnail.jpg
    Our office diagnoses and manage diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts, by using cutting edge technology.
  • Retinitis Pigmentosa Thumbnail.jpg
    Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic eye disease that causes cells in the retina to break down, reducing the patient’s ability to see clearly. Fortunately, there is hope for RP patients to regain independence with the help of a low-vision optometrist.
  • Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve due to a buildup of pressure in the eye. Known as the “sneak thief of vision,” this condition will cause a loss of the peripheral vision.
  • How Cataracts Cause Low Vision and How We Can Help Thumbnail.jpg
    Everything you need to know about cataracts, how it causes vision loss, and how we can enhance your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Man With Nystagmus Regain Visual Acuity Thumbnail 3.jpg
    If you or your child has Nystagmus, it may cause a loss of visual acuity. We can help maximize your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Juvenile Macular Degeneration Thumbnail1.jpg
    This eye disease affects the macula of the eye, which in healthy eyes, acts as a passageway as light passes through it on the way to the brain.
  • Diabetic Retinopathy Specialist: Dr. Shuldiner will help you regain your independence from vision loss due to Diabetic Retinopathy.
  • Living With Best Disease Thumbnail.jpg
    If you've been diagnosed with Best Disease, a genetic disorder affecting central vision, there are many ways to help you remain independent and keep doing the things you enjoy.
  • Stroke-Hemianopsia occurs when the brain is damaged due to a stroke, brain injury, or tumor, vision is often affected. Stroke often causes Hemianopsia, which is decreased or total visual field loss in half of your field of vision.
  • Pathological Myopia thumbnail.jpg
    If your child has Pathological Myopia, it may cause a gradual loss of vision. We can help maximize your child’s remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Albinism causes the central part of the retina, called the macula, to develop improperly. Albinism makes the retina pale, reducing central vision.
  • How Stargardt Disease Cause Low Vision Thumbnail.jpg
    Everything you need to know about Stargardt Disease, how it causes vision loss, and how we can enhance your child’s remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Optic Atrophy Thumbnail.jpg
    If you or a loved one suffers from Optic Atrophy, it may cause vision loss. Let us help maximize your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • We Help Patients With Achromatopsia Regain Visual Acuity Thumbnail.jpg
    If you or your child has Achromatopsia, it may cause low vision. We can give you or your child the tools to strengthen their visual acuity and reduce symptoms.
  • Macular Hole Thumbnail1.jpg
    If you have a Macular Hole, it may cause a gradual loss of central vision. We can help maximize your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Histoplasmosis Retinopathy Thumbnail.jpg
    If you have Histoplasmosis Retinopathy, it may cause a gradual loss of vision. Let us help optimize your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy Thumbnail1.jpg
    If you or your child has Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy, it may cause vision loss. We can help optimize your remaining vision for a high quality of life.
  • Charles Bonnet Syndrome Thumbnail1.jpg
    Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), also known as "visual hallucinations", is a common condition in those low vision. Fortunately, these hallucinations are unrelated to psychiatric hallucinations and are strictly caused by vision impairment.