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With aging, almost everyone needs to use reading glasses, because everyone
loses some visual acuity. Reading glasses are only an inconvenience.
Glaucoma (excess internal eye pressure), cataracts (cloudiness in the
eye's natural lenses), and macular degeneration (damage to the portion of
the retina that is responsible for reading and other detailed task) are
the three major causes of vision loss as we age.
As we age, is it critical to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist
regularly for an eye examination. Early detection of age-related disease
is key to preserving your vision. If you currently have normal vision and
no major risk factors for cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration and
if you are between the ages of 40 and 65, you should have an eye
examination every two to four years. However, if you are over 65, the
American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends you have an examination every
one to two years.
These exams are important so that your doctor can detect changes in your
vision and counsel you on the best ways to preserve your eyesight. Eye
examinations should include a comprehensive dilatation, meaning the doctor
will use special eye drops to widen (dilate) the pupils and examine the
eyes from front to back.
Following is information about age-related vision loss from the September
2003 Focus on Healthy Aging newsletter from Mount Sinai School of
Medicine. By having an annual eye examination, you may be able to prevent
or delay the onset of vision loss from these conditions.
Cataracts occur when the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy and less
able to focus light into clear images. The most common form of the disease
that occurs in older adults is nuclear sclerosis, which causes a yellowing
of the lens. Cataracts become more common with aging, but there is no
specific cause known. Symptoms of cataracts include dimmed or blurred
vision, poor vision for distant and/or nearby objects and seeing glare or
haloes around objects in bright light.
While studies suggest that wearing polarized sunglasses in bright sunlight
may help, there is no proven way to prevent cataracts. When cataracts are
just beginning, you can maximize your vision by reading and performing
tasks with indirect lighting. The permanent treatment for cataracts is to
replace the cloudy natural lens with an artificial implant.
Glaucoma is excess pressure inside the eye that gradually causes loss of
peripheral vision. The condition is not reversible. There is no specific
ways to prevent glaucoma. People with a family history of the disease and
African Americans have a higher risk of having glaucoma.
There are two types of glaucoma, and they have different symptoms. The
most common form, open-angle glaucoma, typically has no early symptoms.
This makes it even more important to have regular eye exams. The other
form of glaucoma is narrow-angle glaucoma, which may cause a decrease in
visual sharpness, pain in the eyes or head and occasionally nausea and
vomiting. You may also see haloes around lights.
Macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of vision loss and
legal blindness for people over age 65. It causes gradual but painless
damage to the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina
needed for reading and other detail-oriented visual tasks. People with AMD
will gradually find it difficult to read, drive a car or identify faces,
as they will only have peripheral vision. There is "wet" and "dry" AMD. In
dry AMD, spots of debris called drusen collect in the macula. In wet AMD,
abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak fluid or bleed.
Research suggest that people with early signs of dry AMD can slow
progression of the disease by taking a cocktail of zinc plus the
antioxidant vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene. You should consult your
doctor on whether to take the vitamins and the exact amounts to take.
However, it important to note that these vitamins have not been shown to
prevent AMD in the studies completed to date. For wet AMD, laser
treatments can slow the vision loss, although the overall benefit is
modest.
The important thing to remember is that regular examinations by an
ophthalmologist are essential to early detection and treatment of
age-related vision loss.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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