Seniors' Eyes

Many eye diseases have no early symptoms. They may be painless, and you may see no change in your vision until the disease has become quite advanced. Only your eye care professional will be able to tell if you have a progressing eye condition that requires treatment.

What to Watch For:

If you are experiencing an unusual symptom, you should see your eye care professional immediately.  Here are some clues to help you determine what may be happening to your eyes.

Cloudy vision	If you’re having trouble reading and watching television, and driving at night has become uncomfortable because of the glare of oncoming headlights, you may have cataracts.  Almost all of us will develop cataracts as we age, because the eyes’ lenses become more opaque as we get older. Luckily, cataracts have become a "normal" problem to rectify: In an outpatient procedure, your ophthalmologist can replace your eye’s lens with a clear plastic intraocular lens (IOL) like the ones made by Bausch & Lomb, resulting in a dramatic restoration of your sight.
Loss of peripheral vision	Abnormally high pressure inside your eyeball can lead to glaucoma—and it often has no symptoms until damage to your vision has begun. It may seem that you don’t have the side-to-side vision you’re used to, producing an experience called “tunnel vision.” While glaucoma has no cure, early treatment can keep it from getting worse, preserving some of your vision. See Early Detection is Key to Preventing Vision Loss from Glaucoma - Prevent Blindness America.
Blurred images and dull colors	When reading the newspaper or street signs takes a major effort, and colors have lost their intensity, you may have the early warning signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The macula, the part of your retina that’s responsible for central vision, deteriorates and creates a blind spot right in the middle of your field of vision. AMD’s progress is slow and it often affects only one eye, but it is the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. Some cases can be treated with surgery, but the more prevalent form of macular degeneration is currently untreatable. In an important clinical study, people at high risk for advanced AMD lowered their risk by about 25%. They were treated with a high dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc. Bausch & Lomb provided the high-potency, antioxidant vitamin and zinc supplement evaluated in the National Eye Institute's Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). Bausch & Lomb PreserVision® Eye Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Soft Gels are based on the AREDS formula, the one and only antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplement proven clinically effective in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).
Floating spots and flashes of light	It’s normal to see the occasional floating black speck or even a pinpoint flash of light.  The vitreous, the gel-like part of your eye that maintains the shape of your eyeball, sometimes contains cells and bits of fiber that seem to float between the retina and the lens of our eyes. If you suddenly see many more floaters than normal and they are accompanied by lots of flashes, you could be viewing the first stages of retinal detachment—an actual tear between the vitreous and the retina. This is a serious problem that requires immediate action and medical care to avoid a major vision loss.

 

Diabetes and Your Eyes

High blood sugar and hypertension (high blood pressure) can damage the tiny blood vessels that lead to your retina. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, tell your eye doctor—and have your eyes examined every year to watch for a complication called diabetic retinopathy. This painless condition has no symptoms until it’s become serious, but it can be controlled and treated, and its progress can be slowed significantly if it’s found before you experience vision loss.

Vision Loss

Many people over 65 have some loss of sight beyond the normal, age-related vision correction issues like presbyopia or cataracts. For example, glaucoma can cause a permanent loss of peripheral vision, and macular degeneration can block a portion of your field of vision in one or both eyes. This state of your eyesight is known as low vision, a condition that can’t be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.

You may find that your have problems doing close-up work.  It may be difficult to recognize the faces of your friends and loved ones, and colors may be distorted—you may have trouble matching articles of clothing when you get dressed each morning. Lights will seem dimmer than they used to be, and you may have trouble reading signs on the street.

Some eye care professionals specialize in rehabilitation for low vision, helping you to continue many of your normal activities with some modifications.

Your low vision specialist will begin by evaluating your specific case, asking you about the activities you’re having trouble performing on a daily basis. Testing will help to determine exactly what sorts of devices and aids are helpful to you: glasses, magnifiers, telescopes, reading stands, lamps and others.

The doctor will help you plan a rehabilitation program involving an occupational therapist and other health care professionals as needed, so that you may resume your independent life within your condition’s limitations.