(ARA) - Older Americans have special concerns in caring for their eyes; but seniors needn't be frustrated by the gradual onset of reduced visual acuity.
Dr. Ted McElroy, president of the Georgia Optometric Association, recommends a sound plan of regular eye care. "An optometrist can help in the early detection of problems specific to aging," he says. "Most eye diseases have no symptoms because the retina, the eye's back tissue, doesn't have pain receptors."
Your optometrist will watch for:
* Cataracts -- a yellowing/clouding of the eye's lens structure, most often simply as a result of aging;
* Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) -- affects your central vision or what you see straight ahead. While ARMD cannot be reversed, it's managed through early detection;
* Glaucoma -- a disease in which pressure inside the eye is too high, which can lead to blindness. It too, can be managed through early detection.
* Presbyopia -- a condition everyone starts to experience around age 40, when people begin needing vision correction for near vision tasks, like reading.
"As we age, besides losing muscular flexibility in our bodies, we will find the flexibility of our eyes is affected," explains Dr. Larry Thal who is an optometrist. "Presbyopia affects the crystalline lens of the eye, the transparent structure inside the eye that is like the focusing lens of a camera, and the muscle that flexes for it to auto-focus. Like our bodies, with age the lens loses elasticity and the muscle becomes weaker."
Signs of presbyopia include:
* Difficulty focusing close-up.
* Difficulty reading fine print.
* Difficulty focusing in dim lighting.
* Holding reading material further away to focus clearly.
* Headaches from near vision work.
* Eye fatigue from computer work or reading.
Presbyopia is not reversible but there are many options to make life easier, such as bifocal, trifocal or progressive lens glasses, reading glasses and even bifocal contact lenses. While some people may pick up a pair of reading glasses at the drugstore, it's better to visit your optometrist to properly evaluate your eyes and prescribe the correct eyewear for you.
Routine eye examinations are key to keeping the golden years bright. Ask your optometrist about ways to see better as you age.
