Most people experience vision changes as they age – and never for the better. It’s extremely commonplace for vision to decline as a person passes age 40 or 50. The changes may be subtle at first, but eventually, you’ll start to realize that you just aren’t seeing as well as you did when you were 30.
Major vision changes should be reported to your eye doctor to be safe, but most are going to simply be a natural byproduct of aging. These are some of the most common changes you’ll likely see.
How Vision Changes In Middle Age
1 – Loss of close-up vision
The process of losing one’s near vision over time is called presbyopia, and it happens to almost everyone. If you find yourself struggling to read text on a monitor, or holding items at arm’s length to read them, it’s happening to you too.
Fortunately, reading glasses are cheap and easily available. However, if you already use corrective lenses for distant vision, you’ll probably need to visit us to order bifocals.
2 – Reduced low-light vision
It’s also common for people to lose some of their night vision as they age. Unfortunately, there isn’t a clinical solution for this. Most of the time, you can compensate simply by turning the lights up whenever you’re indoors. LED lighting makes this easier, since it allows for a wider range of colors and brightness.
3 – Susceptibility to glare
Along the same lines, older people often find glare from bright lights – especially at night – to be more blinding than it used to be. This is due to your eyes’ lenses changing shape as you age, reducing their ability to focus incoming light.
This can be corrected with lenses. So if you find yourself getting blinded by incoming headlights while driving, head to your optometrist for new lenses that will keep you safe on the road.
4 – Dry eyes
Typically, a person’s tear ducts start to become less effective as they age. You may find yourself experiencing dry eyes more often, especially if you spend a lot of time reading or looking at electronic screens.
Basic eye drops are usually the best solution here.
If age-related vision changes are slowing you down, Valley Eyecare Center can help! Click here to contact us.
