Why Do I Need Regular Eye Exams?
No matter if you’ve had excellent eyesight all your life or if you’ve had to use corrective lenses, the fact remains that after the age of 60 you will have an increased chance of developing an eye disease that may permanently affect your vision. This makes regular check-ups with an optometrist or ophthalmologist (eye doctor) a crucial part of your health care.
In fact, many eye diseases have no early symptoms! They may develop painlessly over time and you may not even notice changes to your vision right away.
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For this reason, it’s important to always let your doctor know if you or your loved one have experienced any changes to your vision. There are also eye diseases that seniors should be aware of, here are some common ones:
- Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs in people with diabetes. It is the result of progressive damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. These damaged blood vessels leak blood and other fluids that cause retinal tissue to swell and cloud vision. The condition usually affects both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. At its most severe, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness.
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that affects the macula (the center of the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye) and causes central vision loss, while peripheral (side) vision remains unaffected. The macula allows us to see fine detail and colors. Activities like reading, driving, watching TV, and recognizing faces all require good central vision.
- Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve, resulting in vision loss. People with a family history of glaucoma and older adults have a higher risk. Glaucoma can be painless, with no symptoms. It can take away peripheral (side) vision.
What Is An Eye Exam?
So you’ve scheduled your appointment but, now what? What should you expect? Well, during your exam your doctor will test your eye movement, depth perception, eye alignment, and visual acuity (sharpness). The doctor may also use special eye drops to dilate your pupils so that they can see inside your eye.
Be sure to bring a pair of sunglasses, or ask if they offer pairs at the office, if you know you’re pupils will be dilated as the drops can make you sensitive to light.
Your doctor may also be able to check for other eye conditions during your exam such as:
- Hypertension: Blood vessels in the eye may exhibit bends, kinks, or tears, which may indicate high blood pressure, a known risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other illnesses, including blindness.
- Cancer: Just like you can get freckles and melanoma on your skin, you can also get skin cancer of the eye. If you see a speck in your eye, ask your eye specialist to examine it. He or she will also check your eye color and pattern to make sure everything looks normal.
- Aneurysm: Tell your eye specialist if you're experiencing blurry vision, eye pain, headaches, or loss of vision. You will also be checked for drooping eyelids (a sign that a blood vessel may have ruptured or is leaking), increased pressure in your eye, bleeding in the retina, and swelling of your optic nerve. Crossed eyes can be a sign of bleeding in the brain, possibly from an aneurysm, or even a stroke.
- Mental Health: People with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder usually have different eye tracking patterns. Eye specialists can now map those movements through technology.
If you’d like to learn more about the importance of senior eye exams, how Comfort Keepers® can assist you or your loved one with transportation to exams and appointments, or if you’d like to schedule your free in home consultation please, contact us online anytime or call us at (919) 338-2044.
