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These common warning signs may reveal an age-related vision problem.
It is no secret that there are a number different vision problems that come hand-in-hand with the aging process. For example, glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, blepharitis and other vision problems that are related to systemic health. While each of these problems may occur in those under the age of 60, the chance of developing one of these vision problems significantly increases with your age.
Unfortunately, these common age-related vision problems can lead to a number of other complications in life if you let them get out of hand. For instance, failing vision can affect your ability to drive, can cause a loss of independence, can decrease your mobility, and can even increase your risk of falling. Therefore, it is more important than ever that you approach your eye doctor when you begin seeing signs that you may have an age-related vision problem.
To help you identify common symptoms age-related problems before it is too late, here are a few common senior eye problems and the symptoms that accompany them:
1. Cataracts
A cataract is a cloudy or opaque section of your eye’s lens that interferes with your vision and causes significant vision loss or problems. They typically affect adults over the age of 40―in fact, about 24.5 million adults aged 40 years or older in the United States alone. The most common symptoms of cataracts include blurry, cloudy vision, a reduced intensity of colors, increased difficulty with night vision, and an increased sensitivity to glare and bright lights.
2. Blepharitis
While blepharitis is not quite as serious as other senior vision problems like cataracts or glaucoma (it generally does not lead to vision damage), it can be very uncomfortable to those who are affected. Blepharitis itself is an inflammation or infection of the eyelid, which produces symptoms that are very similar to dry eye, including redness, irritation, itchy eyes and the formation of dandruff-like flakes on the eyelashes.
3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness in the United States, especially among seniors. The group of eye disorders that make up this disease can cause progressive damage to the optic nerve which, in turn, leads to a loss in vision. Older adults, those with a family history of glaucoma, and African Americans are the people who are at the highest risk of glaucoma symptoms include a sudden blurring of vision, severe pain, poor night vision, blind spots and loss of peripheral vision.
4. Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (also known as AMD) is another leading cause of vision loss in those over the age of 50. However, AMD typically results in the loss of primarily central vision. The symptoms that accompany AMD include the slow loss of ability to see things clearly, the distortion of shapes and objects, loss of clear color vision, and a black or empty area in the middle of your line of sight.
If you have any of the common age-related vision symptoms that we mention above, it may be time for you to sign up for annual vision exams so that you can prevent any age-related vision problems before they interfere with your sight. Contact OCLI today to schedule a comprehensive eye exam before it’s too late.
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Source: https://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/3-10-14-common-eye-problems-in-seniors/
