8 Ways Your Eyes Change With Age
Our eyes and vision change with age. Your eye doctor can monitor these changes and identify any eye conditions or diseases early enough to treat them and prevent vision loss.
Age-Related Eye Conditions and Diseases
Cataracts
If your vision is starting to get blurry, you may be developing cataracts. At first, it may lead to increased nearsightedness or even a temporary improvement in your reading vision. But with time, the lens gradually turns more densely yellow and clouds your vision. Luckily, cataract surgery, where the cloudy lens is replaced with a clear lens, is an extremely safe and effective treatment option.
Blepharoptosis
Blepharoptosis or ptosis is a drooping of the upper eyelid that may affect one or both eyes. It occurs when there is a weakness of the eye's levator muscle that lifts the eyelid. This condition is usually caused by aging, eye surgery, or disease affecting the muscle or its nerve.
Vitreous detachment
This occurs when the gel-like vitreous fluid inside the eye begins to liquefy and pull away from the retina, causing "spots and floaters" and sometimes, flashes of light. If you experience sudden or worsening flashes and increased floaters, see our eye doctors immediately to determine the cause.
Other Age-Related Changes
Presbyopia
Why do people in their 40s and 50s have more difficulty focusing on near objects? The lens inside the eye begins to lose its ability to change shape and bring near objects into focus, a process called presbyopia. Over time, you will eventually need reading glasses to see clearly.
Reduced pupil size
As we age, our reaction to light and the muscles that control our pupil size lose some strength. The result? It becomes harder to clearly see objects in a low-light setting like a restaurant.
Dry eye
Our tear glands produce fewer tears and the tears they produce have less moisturizing oils. Your eye doctor can determine whether your dry eye is age-related or due to another condition, and will recommend the right treatments to alleviate the dryness.
Loss of peripheral vision
Aging causes a 1-3 degree loss of peripheral vision per decade of life. While peripheral vision loss is a normal part of aging, it can also indicate the presence of a serious eye disease, like glaucoma.
Decreased color vision
The cells in the retina responsible for normal color vision tend to decline as we age, causing colors to become less bright.
If you or a loved one suffers from impaired vision, we can help. To find out more and to schedule your annual eye doctor's appointment, contact Grove City Vision Center in Grove City today.