A short guide like this cannot tell you everything you might wish to know. If you have not been seen by a hospital eye specialist, we would urge you to see your own GP straight away. Many eye conditions can be treated, but the earlier you seek help, the more successful the treatment is likely to be. Never put a sight problem down to 'old age' and ignore it. Many people feel they do not fully understand what is wrong with their eyes, or fear they will eventually go blind.
Total blindness is quite rare fortunately, and most people keep some level of useful vision.
The more you know about eye conditions , the easier it may be to deal with it. If you have some useful vision, ask your hospital whether 'low vision aids' such as magnifiers could help. These aids may help you to make better use of whatever sight you've got. If your child has a sight problem, then you will want to know how it will affect his or her learning and development. Contact your local education authority and ask for the specialist in visual impairment.