People who lose vision in one eye because of an injury or a medical condition must adapt to a narrower field of vision and loss of depth perception. They may still see small objects as well as before, assuming the other eye is normal.

At first, adults who lose vision in one eye may have a few fender-benders, and they may have difficulty reaching out accurately to shake hands. This is due to the lack of depth perception as well as a narrower field of vision. The patient will soon learn to turn his or her head more when driving, reading, or doing other activities in order to compensate for the lack of depth perception and smaller field of view. With patience and time, they learn to use other clues to help them navigate the world around them and to function normally.

Assuming that the unaffected eye is normal, a person with vision loss in one eye is not considered legally blind. In addition, the patient is also eligible for a driver’s license and is able to work in almost any occupation. There may be some jobs that a person with vision loss in one eye cannot safely perform, but they are few. Your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) and your job safety coordinator can provide advice and guidance.

(c) 2007 The American Academy of Ophthalmology