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    • Home
    • Macular Disease
      • Macular Degeneration
        • About Macular Degeneration
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
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        • Treatment
        • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
        • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • How The Eye Works
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        • About Diabetic Retinopathy
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        • What Happens?
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      • Low Vision
        • Living with Low Vision
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        • Best Disease
        • Macular Hole
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        • Stargardt Disease
        • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
        • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
      • Visit Eye Health Professional
        • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
      • Macular Disease
        • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
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Macular Disease

  • Macular Degeneration
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    • What Happens?
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      • Lifestyle
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        • Nutrient Content of Foods
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    • Diagnosis
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      • Early and Intermediate Macular Degeneration
      • Wet Macular Degeneration
      • Dry Macular Degeneration
    • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
    • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How The Eye Works
  • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • About Diabetic Retinopathy
      • How the Eye Works
    • About Diabetes
      • Diabetes and the Eye
    • What Happens?
    • Risk Factors
    • Prevention
    • Detection
      • Testing
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
      • Diabetes Care Team
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Low Vision
    • Living with Low Vision
      • Causes
      • Impact
      • Challenges
      • Just Diagnosed
      • Maintaining Independence
        • Reading
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      • Low Vision Assessment
        • Visiting a Low Vision Service Provider
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    • Carer and Family
      • Guide for Care
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      • Guiding
      • Caring for the Carer
      • Entitlements
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    • Aids and Technology
      • Ten Step Action Plan
      • Living Aids
        • Lighting
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      • Technology
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      • Slips, Trips and Falls
        • Reducing Risk
          • Around the Home
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        • Falling
          • Why We Fall
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      • Legal blindness
    • Other Macular Diseases
      • Best Disease
      • Macular Hole
      • Macular Pucker
      • Macular Telangiectasia
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      • Retinal Vein Occlusion
      • Stargardt Disease
      • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
      • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
    • Visit Eye Health Professional
      • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
    • Macular Disease
      • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease

    Impact

    Eye diseases affect vision in different ways and the impact of each is connected to the level of loss in visual acuity, the visual field and contrast. This will vary from person to person.

    When first diagnosed with low vision, people experience different feelings of disbelief, apprehension and even depression. Yet with some slight adjustments, what may seem insurmountable for someone newly experiencing vision loss can become just another aspect of daily life.  

    Low vision can affect many areas of a person's life, however the overall impact of low vision can depend on the interplay of various factors:

    MDFA_WebImages_2015_FFC-1.jpg

    Vision: symptoms and conditions

    The type of eye condition will determine how vision is affected. Visual acuity, visual field and contrast sensitivity will determine the extent of vision loss.

    Social relationships

    Social isolation can occur because of loss of mobility or depression.

    Psychological factors

    For the newly diagnosed, blindness and low vision can bring about feelings of helplessness, confusion and anxiety. There is a risk of developing depression.

    Functional capacity

    Low vision can affect a person’s level of functioning in everyday life because their mobility and independence may be affected.

    Economic factors 

    If a person is required to leave paid employment this can have a significant impact on the individual and their family.

    Moving forward

    Understanding the ways in which low vision can affect a person provides a good starting point in determining possible areas of assistance.

    Learning how to make the best use of remaining vision and learning how to adapt to the new circumstance with a positive approach can help achieve good outcomes.

    Low vision services are available to help a person with low vision, their family, carers and friends cope with these challenges.

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