Maintaining Healthy Vision Through the Years

Getting older is unavoidable. But we can maximize our enjoyment and minimize disruptions in our life by taking care of our bodies, and, of course, our eyes. After all, maintaining good eye health is often closely related to our well being.

By leading a healthy lifestyle, you can slow the progression of certain eye conditions and minimize the effect they have on your life. One of the most important ways to remain healthy is to have a regular eye exam with your eye doctor. Our skilled providers can help you manage the changes to your vision and give you the best vision possible.

In recognition of Healthy Aging Month, this September we are sharing some things you can do to maintain your eye health. We’ll share tips that apply for all ages, what symptoms you should look for as you get older, and how to address changes to your vision.

How Our Vision Changes With Age

Our eyes change with age just like the rest of our bodies. Just as our muscles and joints begin to lose their flexibility, so do our eyes. Here are some of the common visual changes that occur as we get older.

Presbyopia

If you are 40+ and wear glasses for reading or other near activities, you may have presbyopia, also known as age-related farsightedness. Presbyopia occurs when the natural lens in your eye becomes less flexible. When you are young, your lens can easily change shape, allowing light to focus on your retina, resulting in clear vision. Beginning around 40, the lens in your eye becomes gradually more rigid, resulting in difficulty reading or seeing things up close. Menus, price tags, and the text on your phone become increasingly difficult to read. Presbyopia will affect almost all of us as we get older, but it can be corrected with glasses or through vision correction surgery like Refractive Lens Exchange.

Cataracts

Cataracts are another common sign of aging which involves the lens of your eye. As we age, the natural lens in our eyes can become clouded and dull. This clouding of the lens results in difficulty seeing clearly. As cataracts progress, patients often report that colors become less vivid, their vision develops a yellowish tint, and driving at night becomes increasingly difficult. At night, glares or “halos” can be seen around street lights and headlights, making it unsafe to drive at night. Cataracts affect nearly everyone by the age of 60. However, difficulty seeing due to cataracts can be corrected with cataract surgery.

Age Related Macular Degeneration

Age Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD, is also very common in individuals over 50. AMD impacts your retina, or central vision, gradually affecting your ability to see fine details or even recognize people’s faces. Early symptoms of AMD often go unnoticed but can include blurry vision, distortion of straight lines, blind spots, and difficulty recognizing faces. Since AMD impacts the center of your vision, severe vision loss can occur. There is no cure for AMD, but early detection and intervention can slow its progression and minimize vision loss. One of the most common early signs of AMD is called drusen, or small yellow deposits in the retina, which can be spotted during an eye exam.

Hooded Eyes

Hooding of the eyes is a another common, yet not as well-known eye condition. Although it sounds more like a cosmetic concern, hooded eyes can also impact our vision. As we get older, the skin around our eyes lose elasticity and sometimes can “droop” into our field of vision. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is a surgery to correct droopy or hooded eyes, and it is often covered by insurance. Reach out to our oculoplastic team if you’d like to discuss your options.

Each of these eye conditions are normal parts of aging that occur in the majority of adults. Let’s talk about some of the not-so-common symptoms that could be a sign of a bigger concern.

Symptoms to Look Out For

It is important to know the difference between typical signs of aging and symptoms of a potential problem. These symptoms can occur at any age, especially as we age. If you are experiencing any of the following you should schedule an eye exam to rule out any sight-threatening conditions.

• Loss of peripheral vision may be a sign of glaucoma or other visual concerns.
• A growth on your eyelid should be evaluated for periocular cancer.
• Floaters or flashes of light are common but should be looked at by your doctor. Their sudden appearance could be a sign of a retinal detachment, a very serious condition which can result in permanent vision loss, if left untreated.
• Loss of contrast sensitivity such as difficulty distinguishing objects from its background of the same color (i.e. a brown book on a brown coffee table). This can be an early sign of cataracts or macular degeneration. It can also be a fall hazard and make it more difficult to drive or complete daily activities.
• Difficulty seeing at night or in low light conditions (such as rain) can also occur as we age and are often a sign of other eye conditions like cataracts or glaucoma.
• Any sudden change in your vision should be immediately addressed by your eye doctor.

We offer treatment options for all of the above, including removal of periocular growths and laser treatments to address floaters. Our team of ophthalmic experts can diagnose, treat, and manage a wide variety of eye conditions to help you reach your best vision possible.

Protecting Your Vision At All Ages

It’s common for patients to have an ocular condition that does not present symptoms. Or, for changes to be so gradual that they go unnoticed. For this reason, it is imperative to schedule regular eye appointments throughout your life, especially as you get older. Even if you are lucky enough to have 20/20 vision, your vision and the health of your eyes can change as you age. Having an eye exam can detect unknown issues early, giving you a chance to intervene.

Another important way to protect your vision is by using sunglasses and sunscreen every day. Overexposure to UV rays can speed the progression of cataracts and even cause periocular cancer. Protect your vision with sun protection for your eyes and the skin surrounding your eyes.

Contact lens safety is another way you can protect your vision. Following simple rules like washing your hands before inserting or removing your contacts, never sleeping in contacts, and avoiding water exposure can prevent serious eye infections, ulcers, and even vision loss from occurring.

And, like many aspects of our wellbeing, maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a big role. This includes eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients and exercising regularly. It has also been suggested that spending time outdoors and giving your eyes regular breaks from screen time can improve your eye health.

Learn More About Your Visual Health

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