Most people notice changes in their eyesight when they reach the age of 40. The normal change in the eye’s focusing ability called presbyopia, will continue over time. The four most common age-related eye conditions are glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes-related retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases and is characterized by damage to the optic nerve which results in a loss of peripheral vision. It commonly affects one eye before the other until it affects both eyes. Glaucoma is often painless and has no obvious symptoms. If left untreated, it can lead to total blindness. Those with a higher risk of developing glaucoma are African Americans, people with a family history of the disease, and older adults. 

Cataracts

Cataracts are opaque or cloudy areas in the normally clear lens of the eye. It usually develops in both eyes but one eye can be worse than the other. Cataracts can interfere with normal vision depending on their size and location. It can cause decreased contrast sensitivity, blurry vision, dulling of colors, increased sensitivity to glare, and decreased ability to see under low light level conditions. 

Diabetes-related retinopathy

Diabetes-related retinopathy is a result of progressive damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. It occurs in people with diabetes, where damaged blood vessels leak blood and other fluids that cause retinal tissue to swell and cloud vision. Diabetic-related retinopathy usually affects both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk of developing the condition. 

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 

Age-related macular degeneration affects the macula (the center of the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye) and causes central vision loss. The macula allows a person to see fine detail and color. While the central vision decreases, the peripheral or side vision remains unaffected. The two forms of AMD are wet and dry. Wet age-related macular degeneration is when the abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula which leads to bleeding, leaking, and scarring. This leads to rapid central vision loss. On the other hand, dry age-related macular degeneration is when the macula thins over time as part of the aging process. This is the more common type of AMD that gradually leads to the blurring of central vision.

SYMPTOMS OF COMMON AGE-RELATED EYE PROBLEMS

Many people do not have symptoms related to age-related eye problems, especially in the early stages. The symptoms largely depend on the condition and may include the following:

• Sensitivity to bright light or glare

• Cloudy or blurred vision

• Seeing spots or flashes of light in your field of vision

• Discomfort, burning eyes, or stinging

• Tunnel vision (peripheral vision loss)

• Producing too many or too few tears

• Trouble telling colors apart (like dark blue and black)

Symptoms can make it hard for a person to perform daily tasks due to:

• Headache

• Tired eyes

• Difficulty reading fine details or small print

• Reduced ability to see well at night

• Incorrectly judging distances

• Problems focusing on or switching focus between near and far objects

WAYS TO PROTECT AGING EYES

Age-related eye problems cannot be prevented but a person can keep them healthy to prevent severe vision loss. 

1. Get regular check-ups with an eye care professional

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a baseline dilated exam at age 40, and the National Institute on Aging suggests yearly exams starting at age 50 and exams every one to two years after age 65. In the check-ups, make sure to ask for your current prescription, and medication list that can affect your vision, and share family history that can increase your risk.

2. Manage diabetes and high blood pressure

Let your eye specialist know about your health condition and work with your primary care physician to find a treatment plan. When left untreated, diabetes and high blood pressure can cause damage to the eyes,

3. Eat healthy

To protect the healthy vision of your eyes, eat a diet that contains Zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Lutein and zeaxanthin. 

4. Protect your eyes outdoors

Exposure over time to UV rays can damage the cornea which causes cataracts and leads to macular degeneration. It can also develop skin cancer on the eyelid and surrounding skin. To protect your eyes, wear brimmed hats and sunglasses when outdoors.

5. Stop smoking

Research shows that a person is more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) up to four times more than nonsmokers. The risk drops when a person stops smoking. After twenty years of not smoking, the risk will be the same as if you never smoked.

Maintaining eye health is important to improve our quality of life and health. To learn more about aging and vision loss, you can read more about it here.