{"id":20164,"date":"2021-12-12T09:09:41","date_gmt":"2021-12-12T09:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=20164"},"modified":"2021-12-12T09:09:41","modified_gmt":"2021-12-12T09:09:41","slug":"8-do-not-ignore-warning-signs-of-serious-eye-problems","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/8-do-not-ignore-warning-signs-of-serious-eye-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"8 ‘Do Not Ignore’ Warning Signs of Serious Eye Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Serious eye problems often do not cause any pain. Here are 8 warning signs that should not be ignored.<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 21 million Americans are impacted by vision problems. Many of these issues are comparatively minor, such as mild hyperopia (farsightedness)<\/a> or myopia (nearsightedness),<\/a> both of which can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, eye conditions such as glaucoma<\/a>, retinal detachment<\/a>, diabetic retinopathy<\/a> and wet age-related macular degeneration<\/a> can cause sudden damage to your eyes – even complete and permanent blindness, if your eye doctor doesn\u2019t detect and treat them early<\/b>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know the signs and symptoms of these serious eye conditions, so\u00a0 you can alert your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing them.<\/p>\n

Here are 8 \u201cDo Not Ignore\u201d warning signs of serious eye problems.<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Sudden blurry or distorted vision<\/b><\/h2>\n

This symptom may be the most obvious one for patients to notice.<\/p>\n

If you experience sudden blurriness or a distortion in your vision, like a straight line that appears wavy, consult your eye doctor immediately.<\/b><\/p>\n

Sudden blurry vision can affect either your peripheral vision or in your central vision, and can be a sign of many very serious eye conditions.<\/p>\n

Some of these conditions require immediate attention from an eye care professional in order to prevent permanent total or partial blindness.<\/p>\n

Conditions that may cause blurry or distorted vision include:<\/p>\n