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Eye Concerns with Age you should be Aware of





Just like our body and its functions age over time so do our eyes. Although you can swiftly go through your golden years without grave vision concerns, there are some that may not escape you even when you maintain a healthy lifestyle otherwise.

Vision concerns with age occur over the age of 40 due to the condition called as “hardening of the eye”  Since the cornea processes the light falling on the eyeball, through the retina and the nerve senses then transfer the same to the brain.

In reality we don't see with our eyes but with our brain! Which means the structure and flexibility of the eyeball determines how your eyesight really is.

Non age related vision concerns are myopia commonly known as short sightedness occurs due to flattening of eye and hypermetropia also known as long sightedness occurs due to the elongation of eyeball.

Each condition deters the falling of light correctly on the retina.

Below are age related eye concerns that you may need to identify to treat them correctly:

     1) Presbyopia:
Usually referred to as reading concern or difficulty in reading fine print. A very common eye concern over the age of 40, common around 50 where you see yourself squinting at the restaurant’s menu, or need to hold up the newspaper at arm’s length to be read clearly. You may realize that you do see things far away but closer ones have started to appear blurred.
This is the time that you need your pair of reading glasses that have magnifying property and come in bifocals and multifocal as per your requirement.

The best part is you can also get your prescribed glasses into prescription sunglasses.

      2) Dry Eyes:
As the name suggest Dry Eye means the eye drying and straining more often than necessary. This occurs due to the aging of the tear duct making it incapable of producing the same amount of tears to keep the eyes hydrated.

Dry eyes become severe while working on the computer or watching television.
Make sure you visit your optometrist and get the right drops to keep eyes healthy and avoid the discomfort caused.

       3) Cataract:
The lens of the eye is usually clear and must remain so to transmit the image sharply to the brain. Cataract is a condition that causes clouding of the lens making vision blurry, unclear, even making distinguishing between colors difficult.

The eye consists of the right amount of water and protein that is segregated equally. The excess deposits of protein on the lens cause Cataract.

80% of people of 65 suffer from Cataract and have gone through a Cataract surgery. An ophthalmologist is one that you must visit for surgical advice.

      4) Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is a condition that damages the optic nerve of the eye causing blindness. It is usually triggered due to increased pressure on the eye.

There are two types- 1) Open Angle Glaucoma that causes slow vision loss and 2) Angle Closure Glaucoma that requires immediate medical attention.

Treatment needs be done at an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist and can include drops, medication and surgery.

     5) Macular Degeneration:
There is small spot on the retina called as the macula that is responsible for sharpness and clarity to the central vision periphery of the eye. This is a group of cells that are very sensitive.

The condition begins with causing a black spot in the center of the eye, and gradually increasing the spot to increase causing blurriness, the number of spots may also increase.
AMD does not cause complete blindness but creates partial blindness by reducing sharpness and reducing perception of bright objects.

This hampers daily activities like driving, reading etc.    



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