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Many things happen to our bodies as we age, including changes to your vision and the structures of the eye. Consequently, many people over the age of 40 will start to develop eye conditions and may have to start using glasses to read and work. As we age, the natural lens in our eye loses its ability to flex and focus, creating the need for reading glasses. Lens dysfunction is behind most of the eye conditions those over age 40 are more likely to develop, including age-related diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Thankfully, there are measures you can take to extend the health of your eyes as you age, and there are innovative new ways to treat common conditions, offering more effective and less invasive treatment options.
What Happens to Your Eyes as You Age?
As you get older, the lens of your eye stiffens, making it unable to change shape, which in turn makes it difficult to focus on objects. The lens also loses clarity, which is the start of cataracts. Behind most of the changes in the eye occurring as you age is something called lens dysfunction. Essentially, the lens dysfunctions on a continuum, and eye conditions will start to increase in severity as the lens continues to dysfunction. For instance, if left untreated the lens will continue to lose clarity or thicken as time progresses. While the cause may be different for each disease, the problem lies with the lens.
More often than not, when people start to experience lens dysfunction, they will experience various symptoms, including:
- Blurry or double vision
- Difficulty focusing on objects or faces
- Eye strain
- Faded colors
- Sensitivity to light and digital screens
As you age, additional changes take place in other parts of the eye as well. For instance, you produce less mucus cells and tears, leading to dry eyes and tear production issues. Some people might also become more susceptible to issues with their eyelids and surrounding tissues. Unfortunately, poor vision can lead to other severe issues such as falls or car accidents, which can be fatal.
The more we understand about lens dysfunction and other age-related eye conditions, the more effectively we can treat them. Some of the most common age-related diseases include:
- Cataracts:
- Cataracts are the clouding of the vision due to protein deposits in the lens that develop slowly as we age. Cataracts can be genetic or the result of UV exposure, but most people begin to develop them around age 50. Usually, symptoms are subtle but can include blurry vision, trouble seeing at night, or distorted vision.
- Age-related Macular Degeneration
- AMD causes blurred vision in the center of your field of vision. Most of the time it does not result in complete blindness and can be slowed if caught early. The development of AMD is often exacerbated by smoking, high-blood pressure, and a family history of AMD. Initial symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty seeing faces, or straight lines appearing wavy.
What Is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is another dysfunction of the lens in which it loses elasticity and thickens, making it difficult to focus and see things up close. The most common symptoms associated with presbyopia include blurry vision, trouble seeing things up close, eye strain, and headaches. It can be frustrating for patients to develop farsightedness after a lifetime of near-perfect vision.
Innovative Treatments for Age-related Eye Conditions
Lens dysfunction is somewhat inevitable as we age, however, that doesn’t mean that you have to live with poor or deteriorating vision. Thanks to advancements in lasers and other eye care devices, along with new and less invasive methodologies, treating lens dysfunction is more effective than ever before.
Treatments for presbyopia, which is the inability to see things close up as you age, include eye glasses and contact lenses. If you already have eye glasses, your eye doctor might recommend bifocals or other progressive lenses to provide a more complete solution. However, there are now prescription eye drops available to contract your pupil, forcing your eyes to adjust focus to view things more closely. The eye drops must be used every day.
Additionally, patients can choose to have surgery, either refractive or corneal inlays. Refractive surgery is preformed with a laser, which is used to reshape the cornea to provide far vision in one eye and close-up´vision in the other. LASIK eye surgery is a type of refractive eye surgery. A corneal inlay is implanted in front of the cornea and restores close-up vision. Either way, you and your ophthalmologist will discuss the best option for your situation and come up with a relevant treatment plan.
Innovations in the field of cataract treatment include more precise lasers, such as the femtosecond laser, and advanced lens replacements, reducing the need for patients to wear eye glasses or contacts after surgery. Patients can choose from a variety of lens replacement options to correct their specific vision problems, including multifocal lenses, expanded depth of focus lenses, and toric IOLs, among others.
No matter which lens you choose with your ophthalmologist, it will be an improvement over cataract-impacted lenses. Ultimately, the goal with all of these lens dysfunction treatments is to reestablish vision and provide a lasting solution. Schedule an appointment today with your ophthalmologist.
Preventing and Slowing Lens Dysfunction
Aging may be inevitable, but that does not mean that it has to happen quickly or severely. There are steps you can take to ensure your lens and the other structures of your eye function properly for longer.
- Get regular eye exams. One of the most important resources available to you is your ophthalmologist.
- Eat an eye-healthy diet. Some nutrients in particular are very important for your eyes, including antioxidants, vitamin C, and lutein, to name a few. If you are interested in learning more, we have dedicated an entire article to eating for eye health.
- Get regular exercise. Physical movement ensures the health of all of the systems in your body, not just your eyes.
- Protect eyes from digital strain and harmful UV rays. Wear UV-blocking sunglasses when outside during peak daylight hours and try to take breaks from using the computer or other digital devices. Your eyes will thank you!
- Quit smoking! Smoking negatively impacts every part of your body and can increase your chances of developing cataracts. It’s vital to your long-term health that you quit as soon as possible. That includes vaping as well.
Schedule an appointment with an expert OCLI vision doctor online or call 833-509-6254, today!
