As you age, your vision can change. That’s a fact of life. Even if you haven’t had any issues with your eyesight thus far, it’s important to be aware of the potential vision problems you may encounter as you get older. Below is an overview of some common vision problems that affect people over 45 years old and the steps you can take to protect your eyesight.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the loss of near vision due to aging that usually starts affecting people around the age of 40. This is caused by a stiffening of the lens in your eye which makes it more difficult to focus on objects that are close up, such as when reading or working at a computer. Common symptoms include headaches, eyestrain, and blurred vision when looking at close-up objects. The good news is that presbyopia can easily be corrected with reading glasses or progressive lenses.
Cataracts
Cataracts occur when cloudy patches form in the eye lens and cause blurry or dimmed vision. They are very common in people over 50, but they can also occur earlier due to genetics or illness. Cataracts typically form slowly, so symptoms may not appear until they have become more advanced. Common symptoms include blurry vision, double vision in one eye, sensitivity to light and glare, fading colors, halos around lights at night, and difficulty driving at night due to increased glare from headlights. In order to treat cataracts effectively and prevent further damage, surgery may be necessary depending on the severity of the condition.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD affects millions of Americans each year and is most commonly found in people over 60 years old who have had poor lifestyle habits such as smoking or lack of exercise throughout their lives. AMD occurs when cells in the macula—the part of the retina responsible for central vision—die off due to disease or aging process causing central vision loss which affects everyday activities like driving a car or reading fine print on labels. Symptoms include blurred central vision or blind spots in your field of view along with difficulty recognizing faces or colors at a distance. Treatment options vary depending on severity but typically involve lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and eating a diet high in vitamins A & C along with regular eye exams to monitor for progression of AMD if present.
Vision problems can be scary and disorienting for those affected by them; however, a new discovery may help you manage these conditions so that you don’t have to suffer from decreased quality of life due to poor eyesight as you age! Click here to learn more about this amazing, life changing discovery that could have you seeing 20/20 again!