Lost Keys and Other Things Difficult to See

Posted by: West Georgia Eye Care Center in Frontpage Article on October 13, 2020

“Keys” are a number one answer on Family Feud for things that are easy to lose. Everyone probably has a lost key story; and how the story ends probably depends on where they were lost. Like the proverbial needle in a haystack, lost items are difficult to find if they are unable to be easily be seen. A key lost in a field of grass (recently happened to a staff member) is tougher to find than one on the kitchen floor. Partly, contrast sensitivity is to blame.

CS Definition – 

Contrast sensitivity is defined pretty much the way it sounds. How sensitive is your vision to the contrasting elements surrounding what you are focusing on? White letters on a black background have a high contrast resolution and are one of the easiest conditions for seeing details (think of the black E and other letters on the eye chart). Navy blue letters on a black background would be much more difficult to distinguish.

Best Life – 

How well we distinguish colors and other details has a direct correlation to our quality of daily living. Cataracts are a common aging change that can reduce our contrast sensitivity resulting, early on, in frustration and eventually becoming problematic. Some common complaints with early cataracts are not being able to distinguish black socks from dark navy socks, not seeing print in dim light, and not seeing traffic well in twilight or fog.

Annual Exam – 

Thankfully, you don’t have to lose your keys to realize that your vision needs a little help. An annual eye exam includes an evaluation for cataract development or cataract changes. WGECC physicians are experts at the diagnosis and treatment of cataracts and other vision problems and eye diseases. If your quality of life is less than what it used to be because of reduced vision, we are here to help you find what you have lost.