A Few Top Age-Related Eye Health Conditions

eye problems

Changes in the vision are one of the most noticeable changes as a person ages. Due to the combined effect of age as well as other physiological conditions and certain diseases such as diabetes, vision in seniors is particularly sensitive to damage. There is no way to predict the damages to the eye early on, therefore warning signs must be watched out for. But even the warning signs do not occur until much later, therefore adopting a healthy lifestyle is the only best bet against eye damage. In this article, we will explore several age-related conditions that seniors can get themselves acquainted with so as to watch their early signs and protect themselves. 

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

This condition causes loss in the central field of vision. In terms of activities you can attribute watching television, fine details, and colors, reading, driving, and recognizing faces to central vision. There are two kinds of macular degeneration. One is known as dry macular degeneration where the center portion of the retina deteriorates. Another one, known as wet macular degeneration, causes leaky blood vessels to grow under the retina. The symptoms start as poor or blurred vision. It is to be noted that peripheral vision remains unaffected by this condition. 

Cataracts

Cataracts are known to affect over 24.4 million Americans who are above the age of forty, and by the time they are aged 80 or above about half of the population has the condition. In cataracts, the eye protein called crystallin aggregates within certain areas of the eye. This phenomenon is characterized by cloudy/ blurred vision in certain areas of the lens of the eye. If the cataract area is small it does not affect the normal vision, however, if the cataract is sizable then the vision is affected. The person is unable to differentiate between contrasts and their ability to see in low light is hampered. They may also experience increased sensitivity to glare and the colors may appear dull. The experience of looking through a pair of cataract eyes can be described as looking through a cloudy window. The operation of cataracts involves replacing the cloudy lenses with a fresh pair of lenses. This is a safe, outpatient procedure and if you are looking to get this procedure or any other eye procedure done at reduced costs, you may Sign-up to become a Multimed-USA Vision Medical Discount Plan member if you’re living in Miami. These discounted medical plans may save costs apart from providing you with the best medical service providers in Miami. 

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy as the name suggests is a complication of diabetes. In this condition, the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye get damaged. In the initial stages, the condition does not cause serious symptoms or only mild vision problems. As the condition progresses, it may lead to diabetic macular edema symptoms, and the risk of complete blindness increases. This condition can develop in both types of diabetes- Type 1 and 2. Careful management of diabetes is your best bet against preventing this condition. The risk factors for diabetic retinopathy are the duration of diabetes- the longer diabetes persists the greater you are at risk of this condition, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pregnancy, tobacco use, etc. 

glasses

Dry eyes

In this condition, a person doesn’t produce enough or good-quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. This is because the main function of tears is to protect the surface of the eye and provide nourishment. Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem in seniors who often need to clean their eyes in a nearby self contained eyewash station during their working shifts. 

Glaucoma

About 3 million Americans are living with glaucoma and more than 2.7 million of them are aged 40 or above. Glaucoma refers to a condition where fluid pressure builds up within the eye causing damage to the optic nerve. The aqueous humor, or the fluid within the eye, nourishes the eye and is drained through a drainage system. In glaucoma this liquid drains too slowly, building up the fluid pressure and damaging the optic nerve in the process. Glaucoma affects both eyes but is usually more severe in one eye than the other. 

Retinal detachment

Retinal detachment is the tearing away of the retina from its underlying tissue. Retinal detachment occurs spontaneously due to changes to the gel-like vitreous fluid that fills the black of the eye. Trauma can also result in this condition. The corrective procedures for these and several other eye surgeries can take a toll on your finances, therefore you may like to Sign-up for a vision medical discount plan. This not only helps with the escalating costs but also provides you with the best network for providers in Miami.