Living with Low Vision

If you have low vision, then reading, shopping, cooking and writing can seem like a challenge. Even with regular glasses, contact lenses or medicine, you may find everyday tasks difficult. A new booklet and video series from NIH can help people adapt to life with low vision.

Most people with low vision are age 65 or older. The main causes of vision loss in older adults are 4 common eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma. In young people, low vision can be caused by inherited eye conditions or trauma. 

A new 20-page large-print booklet, Living with Low Vision: What You Should Know, urges people with low vision to seek help from a low vision specialist. It also provides tips to make the most of your eyesight. The new videos feature patient stories about living with low vision.

The booklet and videos, along with other resources for low vision, can be viewed and downloaded at www.nei.nih.gov/lowvision.