One out of six Americans sixty-five and older have a visual impairment that prescription glasses or contacts can’t correct. The risk of eye disease increases with age. That’s why older adults need to see an ophthalmologist frequently.
September is the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Healthy Aging Month. Keep reading to learn how you can better take care of your eyes and celebrate this vital month!
Know the Signs and Symptoms of Vision Loss
Age can cause your eyes and vision to become weak. Only timely medical treatment can prevent vision loss in many cases.
By knowing what symptoms and signs to look for, you can avoid losing your eyesight. If you begin to notice any of the following symptoms, contact your eye doctor.
Abrupt Eye Pain
Sudden and severe eye pain along with nausea and redness may be a sign of glaucoma. Older adults with a family history of glaucoma or diabetes are more likely to develop this sight stealing condition.
Although glaucoma is a severe eye condition, it is treatable. And early treatment is essential to prevent vision loss.
Glaucoma causes dangerous increases in the pressure in your eyes called intraocular pressure or IOP. If this pressure gets high enough, it can damage your optic nerve.
If the nerve gets damaged, there is no way to repair it, resulting in vision loss. This damage is preventable with proper treatment.
If you’re at high risk of glaucoma, you should have comprehensive eye exams regularly to check for signs of glaucoma. If your eye doctor notices it, they can recommend the best treatment, which could save your eyesight!
Floaters
Seeing floaters in your field of vision could indicate a torn or detached retina. That’s because as you get older the vitreous, or gel-like substance that gives your eyes their shape shrinks.
This shrinking can cause the vitreous to pull on your retina in the back of your eye. If it tugs hard enough, it can tear your retina, which causes things like floaters.
A tear in your retina can lead to a retinal detachment where the retina comes off the back wall of your eye. If this happens, you should see your eye doctor immediately to prevent vision loss.
Blurred Vision
Blurred vision may signal age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common disease in adults sixty and older. The macula is at the center of the retina and enables fine focusing and seeing color.
Delayed diagnosis and treatment can worsen AMD and eventually lead to vision loss. Blurry vision is also a symptom of other eye conditions. If you have a sudden onset of it or feel like you regularly need a new prescription, see your eye doctor.
How Can You Take Care of Your Eyesight?
Practicing healthy habits can go a long way in protecting your eyesight. Many things that are good for your general health are also good for your eyes. Some of them include:
Quitting Smoking
Smoking isn’t just harmful to your lungs. It increases your chances of cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, which can all lead to vision loss. Quitting smoking is essential for good health.
Being Active
A lot of eye issues have links to diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Fortunately, physical activity aids in preventing and controlling these diseases. Discuss with your physician how to lead an active lifestyle.
Routine Eye Exams
Debilitating eye conditions like glaucoma don’t have any symptoms at first. But they are detectable in eye exams, enabling you to get treatment promptly.
Early treatment can slow or prevent irreversible damage to your vision. Your eye doctor will help you determine the frequency of your exams based on your age, family history, risk factors, and medical history.
Don’t let vision problems interfere with your life! Schedule an appointment at Joshi Eye Institute in Boynton Beach, FL, to stay on top of your vision health!