How does aging affect your eyes? There are several conditions that present themselves as our eyes age. Some conditions are mild and easily treatable while others can lead to serious problems, even blindness.
Dry Eyes
When tear glands fail to produce enough tears, eyes can become dry, itchy and start to cause burning sensations. Eye drops or using a home humidifier may help alleviate some of the symptoms. In some serious cases, surgery may be necessary.
Tearing
The opposite of dry eyes is known as tearing or watery eyes. This may be caused by a blocked tear duct or an eye infection. A doctor can assess and determine a course of treatment to correct the issue.
Floaters
Floaters are tiny specks that float across the vision field. In many cases, these are normal and will go away on their own. Sometimes though it may indicate a retinal detachment and require a trip to the optometrist.
Cataracts
In normal eyes, the lens of the eye is clear, but when someone has cataracts, they have a cloudy area covering the eye lens. Light does not pass through correctly and causes blurry vision. They often develop slowly, but if they become large enough to cause vision loss, cataract surgery may be needed to remove the cloudy spots. It is a very safe, common procedure.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition caused by increased pressure inside the eye. Because it is often asymptomatic, it can go undetected and lead to vision loss and blindness. As we age, it is important to get glaucoma tests regularly to ensure that no significant damage is being caused to the eyes due to glaucoma.
Retinal Disorders
Retinal disorders are the leading cause of blindness in aging seniors. The retina is a thin lining on the back of the eye that detects visual images and relays those to the brain. Disorders interrupt this communication transfer of images and lead to blindness. Common retinal disorders include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye, occurs when the tissue lining the eyelids becomes inflamed. It can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, exposure to chemicals or allergies.
Ways to Prevent These Common Age-Related Eye Issues
1. See your primary care physician regularly. If you become pre-diabetic or diabetic, share this information with an optometrist.
2. Visit an optometrist once a year for a complete eye exam. This will include dilating your pupils with eye drops and testing for glaucoma.
3. See an eye doctor immediately if you have sudden loss of eyesight, blurred vision, eye pain, inflammation around the eyes or discharge coming from the eye.
At Stouffer Legal we care about our seniors and aim to share information that improves health and longevity. For more information on our elder law services such as retirement planning, long-term care planning, and estate planning contact our compassionate attorneys today. You can schedule an appointment by calling us at (443) 470-3599 or emailing us at office@stoufferlegal.com.
