Myopia, one of the most common eye defects, also known as nearsightedness, occurs in approximately 25% of the population of the United States, whereas nearly 10% of people throughout the country have hyperopia. Although these eye defects do not usually have a known cause, as most people are born with them, exposure to PFAS was found to have a link to eye defects. When these chemicals enter the body, either by inhalation or ingestion, they persist, as they are known as forever chemicals, and thereby cannot be eliminated. Over time, they can lead to the development of eye defects, among numerous other serious diseases and conditions. It is important to know that both members of the military or veterans and the children of women who were stationed at contaminated military bases are eligible for compensation if they come to struggle with an eye defect. The following are the most common eye defects explained:
- Myopia: This is a defect of vision in which far objects appear blurred and near objects are seen clearly. It occurs because the image is focused in front of the retina instead of on it. It is the result of the eyeball being too long or the refractive power of the lens of the eye being too strong.
- Hyperopia: Also known as farsightedness, hyperopia occurs when people have difficulty with near vision, but can see far objects clearly. It occurs because the image is focused behind the retina instead of upon it. The cause of this eye defect is that the eyeball is too short or the refractive power of the lens is too weak.
- Astigmatism: This eye defect occurs when the light rays do not all come to a single focal point on the retina, as some focus on the retina and some focus in front of or behind it. It is caused by a non-uniform curvature of the cornea and a common symptom of astigmatism is if you are looking at a pattern of lines located at various angles and the lines running in one direction look sharp whilst those in other directions appear blurred.
- Presbyopia: As a defect of vision that usually occurs with old age, presbyopia is the gradual loss of the ability of the eye to focus on nearby objects.
If you were stationed at a military base contaminated with PFAS, you are more likely to develop an eye defect or to give birth to a child with a defect of vision. In the unfortunate case that this happens, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm, as our main area of practice is toxic exposure and our legal team has the necessary knowledge and resources to help you recover the financial compensation you may be eligible for.
