Glossary term
Low Vision
Low vision is significant visual impairment that can't be fully corrected with glasses, contacts, medicine, or surgery — but can be aided by magnifiers and lighting.
Updated · Published January 16, 2026
Low vision describes a level of visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected with ordinary glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery, yet still leaves usable sight. It is not the same as blindness — people with low vision retain some vision that the right aids can make much more functional.
Common causes
In older adults, low vision often results from macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or cataracts. The effect varies: some people lose central vision, others lose peripheral vision or contrast sensitivity.
Living well with low vision
Two principles help most: magnify what's too small, and add light and contrast to what's too faint. Illuminated and electronic magnifiers, bright task lighting, and large high-contrast devices restore many everyday tasks. A low-vision specialist or occupational therapist can recommend aids tailored to a person's remaining sight. See our low-vision aids guide.