Worried About Vision Loss with Aging? Here's How to Prevent It

Common eye problems seen in older people-

• Presbyopia: loss of ability to see near objects or difficulty while reading. Presbyopia is a normal physiological process that develops slowly after the age of 40 years. Older people mostly adjust while reading or doing near work. Presbyopia can be corrected with reading glasses or multifocal lenses.
• Cataract: are cloudy areas that develop slowly in the lens which blocks light from passing to the retina, causing blurry vision. When it has a significant impact on vision, Cataract surgery is needed. Risk factors of developing early cataract are trauma, diabetes, medications like steroids and VR surgery etc. Surgery should be done after thorough fundus examination to rule out any other causes affecting vision.
• Glaucoma : It is an irreversible cause of vision loss mostly due to increased pressure inside the eye. In some cases of glaucoma eye pressure can be normal also (Normal Tension Glaucoma). It can lead to permanent vision loss and blindness, if not treated timely. It happens often without glaucoma symptoms or pain in the early stage. Risk factors for glaucoma include heredity, age, women, diabetes, myopia, ocular trauma and steroids etc. To rule out glaucoma various investigations like eye pressure, gonioscopy, visual fields, optic nerve head examination, pachymetry, optical coherence tomography are needed. Treatment may include topical eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment or surgery.
• Age Related Macular Degeneration: is characterized by the loss of cells in the macular area causing blurred or distorted central vision. Early stages can benefit from nutritional supplements. People with ARMD will have low vision but will never go totally blind. Advanced AMD patients may need laser or intravitreal injection of Anti- VEGFs.
• Diabetic Retinopathy : Early stages of diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels may leak fluid, causing blurred vision (due to Clinically Significant Macular Edema) or no symptoms at all. For CSME , intravitreal injection of Anti- VEGFs and laser may improve or preserve vision. As the disease advances, new blood vessels may grow and bleed into the center of the eye (Vitreous Hemorrhage), causing serious vision loss or blindness. In most advanced cases, laser treatment can prevent blindness. Vitreo-retinal surgery may be needed in these cases. Diabetic patients should routinely get their fundus examination to rule out diabetic retinopathy and should have good blood sugar control.
• Eye problems related to Hypertension : Can develop arterial or venous occlusions which can cause sudden loss of vision. So strict control of blood pressure is advised to prevent these disorders.
• Retinal Detachment : Patients can have sudden appearance of floaters or flashes, sudden loss of vision or dark shadow in the field of vision. Treatment is surgery or laser treatment.

Other rare disorders affecting vision- Uveitis, Posterior Vitreo-retinal Lymphoma

Other eye problems of Old age but do not affect vision

• Eyelid problems: Senile ptosis, Involutional entropion or ectropion, blepharitis, orbital fat displacement and blepharospasms. They can be treated with medications or Surgery.
• Dry Eye
• Tearing
• Diplopia: doubling of vision occurs in cases of muscle palsy’s which happens in mostly uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension.

Eye problems become more prevalent with age. Measures to prevent or correct are always available

• Strict control of blood pressure and blood sugar or systemic disorders in collaboration with physician or endocrinologist.
• Complete eye examination after the age of 40 years and then routinely to detect eye diseases at an early stage. As most eye diseases are treatable if detected at an early stage.
• Visit your ophthalmologist or eye doctor if you feel sudden loss of vision or pain or any eye related symptom. Delaying the visit will aggravate the condition.

Conclusion:

Vision problems become more common as we age, but many of them are preventable or treatable with early detection and proper care. From cataracts and glaucoma to diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, routine eye checkups can help catch these conditions before they cause serious vision loss. Managing diabetes, blood pressure, and getting a comprehensive eye exam after 40 are simple but powerful steps.

Worried about your vision? Schedule your eye exam today and take control of your eye health before it’s too late!