Blurred vision can be present at any distance, both near or far and in some cases both near and far. Blurriness is often a sign of an underlying eye condition. If you are experiencing blurred vision the doctors at Eye Center of La Jolla can evaluate and determine the cause, and recommend the appropriate treatment. Feel free to call our office at (858) 457-2220 to schedule an appointment or book your appointment online.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD or age-related macular degeneration refers to the degeneration of the macula or the central part of the retina, which is involved in processing fine-detail visual information. People with the advanced forms of this disease lose the ability to read and to see the fine details of what they are viewing. There are two major types of AMD, dry AMD or wet AMD, which refers to the presence or absence of bleeding associated with the degenerated retinal tissue. AMD is a major cause of severe central vision blindness in people over the age of 50 and the American Academy of ophthalmology recommends people over the age of 65 to receive annual dilated retinal examinations to screen for the condition. Severe visual loss from AMD usually occurs in the bleeding or the "wet AMD". Major risk factors include age greater than 65 and especially if older than 75 years of age, family members with AMD, cigarette smoking, light colored eyes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, female gender, and cardiovascular disease.
Astigmatism
An eye with astigmatism has two focal points and sees blurr if both focal points are not in focus. This condition is usually corrected with glasses, contacts, and/or laser procedures such as LASIK or PRK.
Cataracts
A cataract is cloudiness (opacification) that develops within the natural lens of your eye. This blurry vision is a normal part of the aging process.
Dry Eye
Dry Eye is a medical condition caused by changes in the quantity or quality of your tears. Tears are composed of different layers that work together to keep your eyes comfortable and protected. If something happens to affects the tears, they may evaporate too quickly, causing your eyes to feel dry and irritated.
Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
Hyperopia is a defect of vision caused by an imperfection in the eye (often when the eyeball is too short or the lens cannot become round enough), causing difficulty focusing on near objects, and in extreme cases causing a sufferer to be unable to focus on objects at any distance. As an object moves toward the eye, the eye must increase its optical power to keep the image in focus on the retina. If the power of the cornea and lens is insufficient, as in hyperopia, the image will appear blurred.
Myopia (Nearsightedness)
Myopia is a condition of the eye where the light that comes in does not directly focus on the retina but in front of it, causing the image that one sees when looking at a distant object to be out of focus, but in focus when looking at a close object.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a condition where, with age, the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects. Presbyopia’s exact mechanisms are not known with certainty; the research evidence most strongly supports a loss of elasticity of the crystalline lens, although changes in the lens’ curvature from continual growth and loss of power of the ciliary muscles (the muscles that bend and straighten the lens) have also been postulated as its cause. Like gray hair and wrinkles, presbyopia is a symptom caused by the natural course of aging. The first signs of presbyopia – eyestrain, difficulty seeing in dim light, problems focusing on small objects and/or fine print – are usually first noticed between the ages of 40 and 50.
