We Help Patients With Macular Holes Regain Visual Acuity
Does your vision seem distorted or off? Do straight lines appear to bend or look wavy? Do things seem constantly blurry? These may be signs of a condition called a Macular Hole. Macular holes can cause distorted vision and eventually, loss of vision.
What Is a Macular Hole?
The macula is a part of the retina, located at the back of your eye. It’s responsible for central vision and seeing colors and details in images. The macula is what allows you to read the small print, see the hands of a clock, sew, drive, and do other kinds of activities that require detailed vision.
A macular hole is a small tear inside the macula. This usually happens because of aging, which is why people over the age of 60 are more likely to develop the condition. A macular hole results in blurry or distorted vision, and over time, a loss of central vision.
What Causes Macular Holes?
A macular hole is most often caused by the natural aging process. As a person ages, the vitreous (a clear, gel-like fluid) inside the eye begins to shrink and pull away from the surface of the retina. If this happens too much, it can tear, creating a hole inside the macula.
A macular hole can also occur after an eye injury, blunt trauma, or other conditions like diabetic eye disease or retinal detachment.
Treatment for Macular Holes
Depending on the size, your macular hole may close on its own or surgery may be an option. However, whether the hole closes by itself or surgery accomplishes this, any vision loss that’s already happened cannot be restored. That’s where your low vision doctor comes in.
How a Low Vision Doctor Can Help with Macular Holes
If seeing the faces of the people you care about has become difficult or if watching your favorite films or television shows is a struggle, we can recommend a variety of magnifiers or special prism glasses. They can help maximize your vision, helping you recognize faces in greater detail and making moving images clearer.
Because your macula controls central vision, when it’s damaged, a gradual loss of central vision occurs.
If you’re experiencing vision loss because of a macular hole, we can help. At Gateway Low Vision, we see patients throughout the St. Louis, Eastern Missouri, Jefferson City, and Poplar Bluff areas.
Our low vision optometrist can fit you for bioptic telescope glasses to improve your vision for driving. You won’t need to ask others to drive you anywhere – you’ll be able to get there by yourself. Full diameter telescope glasses can help you read words on a page and see them in more detail, so you can indulge your love of reading once again.
We have a wide range of low vision glasses that can give you better clarity, so you can see things clearer and get rid of blurry vision. If it’s hard to read a recipe, sew a button on a shirt, or drive to the store, low vision aids from the Gateway Low Vision can help you do these everyday tasks and give you back your independence.
You can read more about the low vision aids and devices we offer here. We can help you start doing the tasks that you want to do again.
Your eye doctor takes into consideration your personal lifestyle and the kinds of everyday activities that are important to you. So if you want to enjoy reading, watching television, driving, recognizing faces and colors in clear, sharp detail, Dr. Jill Mogil can help.
Schedule a consultation with the Gateway Low Vision today. Whatever your visual needs are, we can customize the right low vision treatment for you.