| Typically causes vision impairment |
Age-related macular degeneration: Damage to the central part of the retina responsible for detailed vision leads to dark patches, shadows, or distortion of the central vision. The risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age. Cataract: Cloudiness in the lens of the eye, leading to increasingly blurred vision. The risk of developing cataracts increases with age. Corneal opacity: A group of conditions causing the cornea to become scarred or cloudy. Opacity is most commonly caused by injury, infection, or by vitamin A deficiency in children. Diabetic retinopathy: Damage to blood vessels in the retina which become leaky or blocked. Vision loss most commonly occurs due to swelling in the central part of the retina, which can lead to vision impairment. Abnormal blood vessels can also grow from the retina, which can bleed or cause scarring of the retina and blindness. Glaucoma: Progressive damage to the optic nerve. Initially, loss of vision occurs in the periphery and can progress to severe vision impairment (known as open angle glaucoma, the most common type). Trachoma: Caused by a bacterial infection. After many years of repeated infections, the eyelashes can turn inwards (known as trichiasis) which can lead to corneal scarring and, in some cases, blindness. |