Cataracts
Dr. Abby Glick, an optometrist at Miamisburg Vision Care, notes that cataracts develop slowly, “and it may be difficult for people to realize that they are starting cataracts because of the gradual progression.”
Common symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, glare while driving at night or driving in the rain, or halos in vision.
According to Dr. Lindsay Florkey, the CEO of Greene County Eye Care, Inc., there are about 20.5 million people in the United States with cataracts.
A yearly vision exam is recommended to assess the thickness of the cataract, test a person’s vision and determine if cataracts are impairing sight. An out-patient surgical procedure can remove cataracts.
“The results from cataract surgery can be astonishing,” Florkey said. “I have seen patients that have worn glasses since childhood be able to see 20/20 without glasses.”
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is known as a silent disease, where high eye pressure damages the optic nerve. The condition can be hereditary. If left untreated, glaucoma can result in a loss of peripheral vision.
“This is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss in the United States,” Glick said.
Early detection, through an air puff test, is key. Treatment options include eye drops to lower eye pressure.
Macular Degeneration
“Age-related Macular Degeneration is a disease in which the macula, the part of your eye responsible for your central vision, starts to lose function slowly over time,” Glick said.
Symptoms include blurred vision, wavy line distortions in vision or permanent dark areas. There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet. Both types can cause irreversible vision loss if untreated. This disease can also be hereditary.
“The dry form is less visually significant,” Florkey said. “The wet form is when a person has new, leaky blood vessels grow into the retina. A person may not notice any vision changes when the disease starts, but vision will decline as the disease progresses.”
Over the counter eye vitamins such as “AREDS2” or “Macular Health” can help minimize the risk of macular degeneration.
Dry eye disease
Seniors should also be aware that dry eye is another common eye disease as people age.
Dry eye is a chronic condition that can cause damage eyes, and many treatment options are available.
Florkey notes that omega 3 supplements, such as fish oil and flaxseed oil can be beneficial for some patients who suffer with dry eyes.
Vision changes can affect quality of life and mental health for anyone.
“We use vision for every aspect of our life, so changes can have a major impact,” Florkey said. “Loss of the ability to read, loss of the ability to drive, mobility issues, loss of independence with activities of daily living can all occur with negative vision changes.”
Seniors can protect their eye health by wearing sunglasses outdoors, not smoking, making healthy food choices, and exercising. Managing chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol can also impact our eye health.
Changes in vision that include flashes of light (lightning bolts), floaters (black dots or string-like figures), severe pain or sudden loss of vision should be addressed immediately.
“We can detect a variety of health conditions throughout the whole body by examining the eyes,” Glick said. “Just at my office, we have detected strokes, cancer, brain tumors, autoimmune conditions and much more. Certain eye diseases can be treated with medication, and other types of eye conditions can be fixed with specialty contact lenses. I love my job because I am able not just vision, but overall health as well.”
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