How Eye Exams Can Improve Senior Health

No matter what your eyes were like when you were young, regular eye exams become more important as you reach your senior years. After turning 60, there is an increased likelihood of developing an eye disease that can permanently affect your vision. A comprehensive dilated eye exam performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist (an eye doctor) is necessary to detect eye diseases early, when treatment to prevent vision loss is most effective.

While there are warning signs for age-related eye health problems that could cause vision loss, many eye diseases have no early symptoms!

In fact, they may develop painlessly, and you may not notice changes to your vision until the condition has already progressed! Of course, be sure to consult your eye doctor if you notice any changes to your vision. Below are a few vision disorders that seniors should be aware of:

• Cataracts are cloudy or opaque areas in the usually transparent lens of the eye. Depending upon their size and location, they can interfere with normal vision. Typically, cataracts develop in both eyes, although one may be more severe than the other. Cataracts can cause blurry vision, decreased contrast sensitivity, dulling of colors, and increased sensitivity to glare.
• 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, causing retinal tissue to swell and impair 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.
• Dry eye is a condition in which a person produces too few or poor-quality tears. Tears maintain the health of the front surface of the eye and provide clear vision. Dry eye is a common and often chronic condition, particularly in older adults.
• 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 and may have no noticeable symptoms. It can cause loss of peripheral (side) vision.

What Else Should You Know?

During your eye exam, visual acuity (sharpness), depth perception, eye alignment, and eye movement are tested, and special eye drops are used to make your pupils larger so your eye specialist can see inside your eyes. In addition to eye health, they may also spot other health conditions.

These eye conditions can include, but are not limited to:

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that affects the macula vessels of the retina, which could indicate elevated cholesterol.
• 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.
• Vitamin A Deficiency: If you're not getting enough fruits and veggies (from foods like sweet potatoes, greens, cantaloupe, and carrots), you may develop night blindness and vision loss. Your eye specialist will check the surface of your eye for damage. Mention if you're having trouble seeing at night.
• Thyroid disease: One of the signs of thyroid disease is bulging eyes or protruding eyeballs. This condition is also known as Graves' Disease.
• 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. They will also check your eye color and pattern to ensure everything appears normal.

If you’d like to learn more about how regular eye exams can help you or your loved one safeguard your eye health, how our caregivers can help seniors establish healthy routines that promote independence, or if you can schedule your free care consultation online anytime, or call us .