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Aging
and Your Eyes
Did you know that
many older people have good eyesight into their 80’s and beyond?
Growing older does not always mean you see poorly. But age brings
changes that can weaken your eyes.
There are some easy
things to try when these changes happen. You might add brighter
lights in more places around the house--like at work counters,
stairways, and favorite reading places. This may help you see
better and can sometimes prevent accidents caused by weak eyesight.
While older people
have more eye problems and eye diseases than younger people,
you can prevent or correct many of them by:
- Seeing your doctor
regularly to check for diseases like diabetes, which could
cause eye problems if not treated.
- Having a complete
eye exam with an eye specialist every 1 to 2 years. Most eye
diseases can be treated when they are found early. The eye
doctor should enlarge (dilate) your pupils by putting drops
in your eyes. This is the only way to find some eye diseases
that have no early signs or symptoms. The eye doctor should
test your eyesight, your glasses, and your eye muscles. You
should also have a test for glaucoma.
- Taking extra care
if you have diabetes or a family history of eye disease. Have
an eye exam through dilated pupils every year. See an eye
doctor at once if you have any loss or dimness of eyesight,
eye pain, fluids coming from the eye, double vision, redness,
or swelling of your eye or eyelid.
Common Eye Complaints
Presbyopia
(prez-bee-OH-pee-uh) is a slow loss of ability to see close
objects or small print. It is a normal process that happens
over a lifetime. You may not notice any change until after the
age of 40. People with presbyopia often hold reading materials
at arm’s length. Some get headaches or "tired eyes"
while reading or doing other close work. Presbyopia is often
corrected with reading glasses.
Floaters are
tiny spots or specks that float across the field of vision.
Most people notice them in well-lit rooms or outdoors on a bright
day. Floaters often are normal, but sometimes they warn of eye
problems such as retinal detachment, especially if they happen
with light flashes. If you notice a sudden change in the type
or number of spots or flashes, see your eye doctor.
Dry eyes happen
when tear glands don’t make enough tears or make poor quality
tears. Dry tears can be uncomfortable, causing itching, burning,
or even some loss of vision. Your eye doctor may suggest using
a humidifier in the home or special eye drops ("artificial
tears"). Surgery may be needed for more serious cases of
dry eyes.
Tearing, or
having too many tears, can come from being sensitive to light,
wind, or temperature changes. Protecting your eyes (by wearing
sunglasses, for instance) sometimes solves the problem. Tearing
may also mean that you have a more serious problem, such as
an eye infection or a blocked tear duct. Your eye doctor can
treat or correct both of these conditions.
Eye Diseases and
Disorders Common in Older People
Cataracts
are cloudy areas in part or all of the eye lens. The lens is
usually clear and lets light through. Cataracts keep light from
easily passing through the lens, and this causes loss of eyesight.
Cataracts often form slowly and cause no pain, redness, or tearing
in the eye. Some stay small and don’t change eyesight very much.
If a cataract becomes large or thick, it usually can be removed
by surgery.
During surgery, the
doctor takes off the clouded lens and, in most cases, puts in
a clear, plastic lens. Cataract surgery is very safe. It is
one of the most common surgeries done in the United States.
Glaucoma results
from too much fluid pressure inside the eye. It can lead to
vision loss and blindness. The cause of glaucoma is unknown.
If treated early, glaucoma often can be controlled and blindness
prevented. To find glaucoma, the eye doctor will look at your
eyes through dilated pupils. Treatment may be prescription eye
drops, oral medications, or surgery. Most people with glaucoma
have no early symptoms or pain from increased pressure.
Retinal disorders
are a leading cause of blindness in the United States. The retina
is a thin lining on the back of the eye. It is made up of cells
that get visual images and pass them on to the brain. Retinal
disorders include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic
retinopathy, and retinal detachment.
- Age-related
macular degeneration. The macula is part of the eye with
millions of cells that are sensitive to light. The macula
makes vision possible from the center part of the eye. Over
time, age-related macular degeneration can ruin sharp vision
needed to see objects clearly and to do common tasks like
driving and reading. In some cases, it can be treated with
lasers.
- Diabetic retinopathy.
This disorder can result from diabetes. It happens when small
blood vessels stop feeding the retina properly. In the early
stages, the blood vessels may leak fluid, which distorts sight.
In the later stages, new vessels may grow and send blood into
the center of the eye, causing serious vision loss. In most
cases, laser treatment can prevent blindness. It is very important
that people with diabetes have an eye exam through dilated
pupils every year.
- Retinal detachment.
This happens when the inner and outer layers of the retina
become separated. With surgery or laser treatment, doctors
often can reattach the retina and bring back all or part of
your eyesight.
Conjunctivitis
happens when the tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the
cornea becomes inflamed. It can cause itching, burning, tearing,
or a feeling of something in the eye. Conjunctivitis can be
caused by infection or allergies.
Corneal diseases
and conditions can cause redness, watery eyes, pain, reduced
vision, or a halo effect. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped
"window" at the front of the eye. It helps to focus
light that enters the eye. Disease, infection, injury, toxic
agents, and other things can damage the cornea. Treatments include
changing the eyeglass prescription, eye drops, or surgery.
Corneal transplantation
is used to restore eyesight when the cornea has been hurt by
injury or disease. An eye surgeon replaces the scarred cornea
with a healthy cornea donated from another person. Corneal transplantation
is a common treatment that is safe and successful. The doctor
may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses after surgery.
Eyelid problems
can come from different diseases or conditions. The eyelids
protect the eye, distribute tears, and limit the amount of light
entering the eye. Pain, itching, tearing and sensitivity to
light are common eyelid symptoms. Other problems may include
drooping eyelids (ptosis), blinking spasms (blepharospasm),
or inflamed outer edges of the eyelids near the eyelashes (blepharitis).
Eyelid problems often can be treated with medication or surgery.
Temporal arteritis
causes the arteries in the temple area of the forehead to become
swollen. It can begin with a severe headache, pain when chewing,
and tenderness in the temple area. It may be followed in a few
weeks by sudden vision loss. Other symptoms can include shaking,
weight loss, and low-grade fever. Scientists don’t know the
cause of temporal arteritis, but they think it may be a disorder
of the immune system. Early treatment with medication can help
prevent vision loss in one or both eyes.
Low Vision Aids
Many people with
eyesight problems find low vision aids helpful. These are special
devices that are stronger than regular eyeglasses. Low vision
aids include telescopic glasses, lenses that filter light, and
magnifying glasses. Also, there are some useful electronic devices
that you can either hold in your hand or put directly on your
reading material. People with only partial sight often make
surprising improvements using these aids.
Resources
A number of organizations
can send you more information:
The National Eye
Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), supports research on eye disease and the visual system.
NEI can send you free brochures on eye disorders. Write to the
NEI, 2020 Vision Place, Bethesda, MD 20892-3655; or call 301-496-5248.
The American Foundation
for the Blind can send a list of their free publications
on vision. Contact the Foundation at 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300,
New York, NY 10001; or call 1-800-232-5463.
The American Optometric
Association provides free information to the public about
vision and eye care. Contact the Association at 243 North Lindbergh
Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63141; or call 314-991-4100.
The Lighthouse
National Center for Vision and Aging serves as a national
clearinghouse for information on vision and aging. Contact the
Center at 11 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022; or call 1-800-334-5497.
The National Association
for the Visually Handicapped is a voluntary health agency
that works with people who can partially see. Contact the Association
at 22 West 21st Street, New York, NY 10010, or call 212-889-3141.
The National Eye
Care Project of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
has a helpline number to refer callers to local ophthalmologists
who will volunteer to provide needed medical care. This public
service program brings eye care and information to disadvantaged
older people. Contact the AAO at P.O. Box 6988, San Francisco,
CA 94120-6988; or call 1-800-222-EYES.
The National Library
Service for the Blind and Visually Handicapped provides
free library services to people with vision problems and offers
braille and large-print materials, recorded books, and other
periodicals. Contact the Service at 1291 Taylor Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20542; or call 1-800-424-8567.
The National Society
to Prevent Blindness has several free pamphlets on specific
diseases affecting the eyes. They also have Home Eye Test
for Adults, which is available for $1.25 (to cover the cost
of postage and handling). Contact the Society at 500 East Remington
Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173-5611; or call 1-800-331-2020.
The Vision Foundation
publishes the Vision Resource List, which includes information
on special products and service for people with visual impairments.
Contact the Foundation at 818 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown,
MA 02172; or call 617-926-4232.
The National Institute
on Aging (NIA), part of the NIH, distributes Age Pages
and other materials on a wide range of topics related to health
and aging. For a list of free publications contact NIA’s Information
Center at P.O. Box 8057, Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057; or call
800-222-2225, or 800-222-4225 (TTY).
National
Institute on Aging
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
1995
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