As you age, your body goes through changes right and left. More and more potential health issues can arise, so being vigilant about your health is especially important as a senior citizen. Eye health is no exception to that rule, and you should be on the lookout for some major eye problems as you age.
Glaucoma
Increased pressure inside the eye is the cause of glaucoma, as a result of the optic nerve being seriously damaged. This condition may cause permanent vision loss and even blindness. A yearly eye exam typically includes a painless test for glaucoma, and if discovered, your optometrist will prescribe drops to keep your eye pressure at a normal level and avoid this tragedy.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Picture a photograph of a person’s face. With the onset of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, deposits build up on the Macula, which is the central part of your eye’s retina, and cause the facial features on that photograph to deteriorate and disappear. It is not reversible and is painless. Many times victims do not even realize they’re having a vision issue until they’ve lost a significant amount of their eye sight. For this reason, a yearly eye exam is especially important so that your skilled optometrist can detect the problem early and help prevent progression of the disease.
Cataracts
Through exposure to UV light, smoking, and age, the lens that is your eye’s window for light becomes cloudy, yellowed, or obscured. It then becomes very difficult to see in low light or shadowy conditions and hard to differentiate between similar colors. Your driving ability can be seriously impaired when cataracts have advanced. Treatment is generally surgical replacement of the eye’s lens, and is a procedure very commonly performed. Many times, not only is the cataract corrected, but vision problems such as nearsightedness are also fixed. The yearly eye exam provides early diagnosis so the condition can be monitored until correction is appropriate.
Your eyesight is precious and should be cared for with as much (or more) attention as your other health. Talk to your Phoenix optometrist for more information on eye conditions that may affect you as you age.
