| Disease | Injury | Nutrition | Poison |
| Special Topic | Surgery | Symptoms | Test |
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| Overview | Treatment |
Blindness |
| Definition: |
| Blindness is the loss of vision, not correctable with lenses. Blindness can be partial, with loss of only part of the vision. It can also be complete, in which case there is no perception of light. People with vision worse than 20/200 or a field of vision of less than 20 degrees in the better eye are considered legally blind.
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| Alternative Names: |
| Loss of vision
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| Common Causes: |
Blindness has many causes. In the United States, the leading causes are diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and accidents (such as chemical burns or injuries from bungie cords, fishing hooks, fireworks, racket balls, and similar objects). Worldwide, the leading causes of blindness are cataracts, onchocerciasis ("river blindness"), trachoma, leprosy, and vitamin A deficiency. Other causes include:
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Reviewed By: Edward B. Feinberg, M.D., M.P.H., Professor and Chair, Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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