The experience of deteriorating vision is particularly worrying, especially when you do not know the cause. Some people have bad eyesight from childhood, whereas with others, it can develop over the years. If you find that your vision is getting worse, then you must pinpoint the reason as soon as possible, as some causes are more serious than others. 

Whether your vision has been deteriorating for some time or you experience a sudden loss of sight, here are five possible causes:

1. Old Age 

Eyesight is one of the senses that lessens with age, and usually there is nothing too serious to worry about. Over time, the flexibility in the eye lenses reduces, which contributes to the majority of lowered vision in the elderly. Unfortunately, this can lead to several different eye diseases, causing many who had previously excellent eyesight to suffer from vision deterioration. 

The solution will often be a new glasses prescription, but it’s still important to get your eyes checked thoroughly in case of an underlying issue brought on by age.

2. Cataracts 

Having a cataract means your eyes lens has clouded over, resulting in blurred vision, difficulty reading, and struggling to see in the dark. They usually affect those over forty and come on slowly, so symptoms might start mild and progress to more severe over the years. 

Fortunately, cataracts are treatable with a cataract lens implant, leaving you with your sight fully restored. If you believe your eye problems are caused by cataracts, then it’s important to see a doctor before symptoms get worse.

3. Amblyopia 

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, commonly only occurs in one eye and presents itself as a wandering eye. They are common in children, with the usual treatment being eye drops, glasses, and in some cases, surgery. When somebody has amblyopia, their affected eye cannot see as well as the other, which gets worse and worse over time, so it’s important to seek treatment as soon as symptoms are noticed.

4. Injury 

Many people experience affected vision after sustaining an injury to the eye. Often, this symptom comes on weeks after the trauma has occurred, causing some to believe it could be unrelated to their injury. Typically, this vision loss will be accompanied by pain, and it’s important that you see a doctor as soon as possible.

5. Myopia 

Myopia is one of the most common causes of deteriorating vision and affects people of all ages. It’s also known as near-sightedness, causing the person to struggle to see anything far away from them, with their vision usually blurring. While genetics commonly cause myopia, it can also be triggered by eye strain and too much screen time. 

The fix for myopia is usually quite simple – an appointment to determine your eye prescription and then using glasses or contact lenses (click here to get a pair). Some people also decide to opt for surgery. 

Deteriorating vision can be scary, but with the medical advancements of today, there are plenty of ways to get you back to seeing clearly.