Vision disorders

Vision disorders affect how well you see. They can make some tasks difficult, such as reading a book or driving at night. 

Sometimes people are born with vision disorders. Others may find their vision gets worse as they age. 

Vision disorders include:

• Myopia (nearsightedness): This is when you can see close objects, but faraway objects are blurry. 
• Hyperopia (farsightedness): This is when you can see both faraway and close up objects, but objects up close can be blurry. 
• Astigmatism: This is when the curve of your cornea or lens is different than it should be. It impacts how you see objects that are both near and far away. 
• Colour blindness: This is when you cannot see some colours the way most people see them. The most common type is red-green colour blindness, when red and green are hard to distinguish. Colour blindness is often inherited.

If you notice problems with your vision, you should see an eye specialist. Community-based optometrists can help with many types of vision problems. They can also refer you to an ophthalmologist, who is a medical doctor that specializes in eye care. 

During your appointment, your care provider will ask questions about your symptoms. They will also screen for eye problems. 

Common tests include: 

• Vision testing to investigate how well you see. One common task is reading numbers on a screen. Another is identifying shapes formed by coloured patterns. Your provider may test different lenses to see which help your vision. 
• Eye exam to see if there are any problems inside your eye. Your provider might dilate your pupils to get a better look. They could also use a special camera to take pictures of your eyes.

Your treatment strategy will depend on your vision problem and how it impacts your life. Some vision conditions do not need treatment. For example, mild myopia may not bother you. Other conditions do not have treatment options. One example is inherited colour blindness.

Treatments for vision disorders may include: 

• Glasses or contact lenses to correct focus issues. 
• Corneal refractive therapy (CRT) to bend the shape of your eye. You wear rigid contact lenses at night to improve your vision during the day.
• Laser treatment to improve your vision and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses.
• Eye surgery to improve vision and potentially reduce dependence on glasses. One example is cataract surgery.
• Eye patch treatment in children with amblyopia can help strengthen the weaker eye. Covering the stronger eye forces your brain to practice seeing with the other eye.

Clinics that treat vision disorders

The Indigenous Wellness Liaison Team is here to support your health journey. Team members offer cultural support and healthcare advocacy. Learn more below or call them at 604-682-2344,62937 or email IWL@providencehealth.bc.ca

Advances in treatments are all thanks to medical research. While participating in research is a decision you should make for yourself in consultation with your care team, there is much activity in this area so please ask us about our research programs if you’re interested.

By taking part in research, you can help us all learn more about advancing health outcomes and find better ways to help people live and thrive. While you cannot assume benefit to yourself, your participation can make a difference in improving care for future patients.

The following clinical trials are currently enrolling volunteers. Please ask your care team for more information or contact the research team listed on each study or trial. For other information about research at Providence Health Care, please visit Providence Research.