Eye Exams For Seniors
Vision changes happen as you get older, but these changes don’t have to impact on your lifestyle. Knowing what to look for and when to look for professional care can help you protect your vision. As you reach your sixties and beyond, you should be aware of the warning signs of age-associated eye health issues that could cause loss of vision.
A lot of eye diseases have no prior symptoms. They could develop without pain, and you might not realize the changes to your vision until the ailment is fairly advanced. Intelligent lifestyle decisions, routine eye exams and early recognition of disease can considerably improve your likelihood of maintaining good eye health and vision as you get older.
You may not realize that health issues impacting other parts of your body can impact your vision also. Those with diabetes or high blood pressure, or that are taking medications that have eye-associated side effects, are at considerable risk for developing vision issues. Routine eye exams are even more vital as you reach your senior years. The AOA recommends yearly eye exams for everybody over age sixty. See your eye doctor sooner than later if you perceive any changes in your vision.
Age-related eye and vision changes and problems
In the years following you turning sixty, a number of eye diseases could develop that could permanently alter your vision. The sooner these issues are found and treated, the greater possibility you can keep good vision. The below are some vision disorders to know:
Age-Associated Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Age-associated macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that impacts the macula and can be the cause of central vision loss. Even though small, the macula is the portion of the retina that makes it possible for us to see fine details and colors. Activities, for instance, reading, driving a vehicle, watching TV and recognizing people all necessitate good central vision given by the macula. Whereas macular degeneration reduces central vision, peripheral vision remains unimpacted.
Cataracts
Cataracts are opaque or cloudy areas in the typically clear lens of the eye. Subject to their size and location, they can obstruct typical vision. Commonly, cataracts develop in each eye, however, one could be worse than the other. Cataract can be the cause of blurry vision, reduced contrast sensitivity, reduced ability to see under low light level setting (like when driving at nighttime), deadening of colors and greater sensitivity to glare.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is an ailment that happens in those with diabetes. It is the outcome of advancing impairment to the small blood vessels that “feeds” the retina. These impaird blood vessels leak blood and other fluids causing retinal tissue to swell up and blurred vision. The ailment typically impacts both eyes. The longer someone has diabetes, the increased the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. Additionally, the instability of a person’s glucose measurements after a while can affect the development and/or intensity of the ailment. At its peak intenseness, diabetic retinopathy can be the cause of blindness.
Dry Eye
Dry eye is an ailment in which a person produces too few or low-quality tears. Tears maintain the health of the front area of the eye and offer clear vision. Dry eyes are a typical and frequently chronic issue, especially in older adults.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a cluster of eye diseases consisting of impairment to the optic nerve which results in loss of peripheral vision. It usually impacts both eyes, usually one before the other. If not addressed, glaucoma can result in complete blindness. People that have a family background of glaucoma, African American people and older people have a greater risk of developing the disease. Glaucoma is usually painless and can have no clear-cut symptoms until there is a considerable loss of side vision.
Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is a separation or tearing of the retina from the connective tissue. This type of detachment typically happens impromptu as a result of changes to the viscous vitreous fluid that fills the back of the eyes. Other causes comprise trauma to the head or eye, health issues such as progressive diabetes, and inflammatory eye ailments. If not addressed promptly, it can result in loss of vision permanently.
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