A List Of Three Common Vision Disorders That Can Occur With Age

 
While there are a variety of vision problems that people deal with throughout their lives, a lot of vision disorders occur primarily as people begin to get older and their eye health begins to deteriorate. Thankfully, there are a host of options available, such as laser surgery, which can cure these common vision problems before they lead to blindness. There are also a variety of diagnostic tools that eye doctors and specialists now use in order to catch these problems early on so that they can be treated more easily and effectively.

Continue reading for a short list of just three of the many common eye and vision disorders that can occur as people get older. By being aware of these conditions ahead of time, you will understand the importance of regular eye exams with your eye care professional, as well as what options you have if you were to ever come down with these conditions at any point in your life.

Presbyopia

 

Presbyopia is one of the most common conditions that affect the eyes as they age. In fact, this condition is so common that it is also referred to as “the aging eye condition.” This is not a vision-threatening condition, although it will alter the way that you can view things that are very close to you.

As you age, your lens hardens. This prevents light from properly entering the eye and getting through to the retina. Muscles around the eyes also deteriorate with age, making it a lot harder for the eyes to focus properly on objects that are up close, such as a menu at the restaurant or your favourite book at home. In order to fix this condition, you can purchase bifocal contact lenses or eyeglasses.

Cataract

 

Cataract is a condition commonly associated with elderly individuals. A clouding of the lens occurs with age that affects the way you are able to see. A cataract can develop in one or both eyes and a majority of very elderly individuals will have this condition at some point in their lives. Vision becomes cloudy and blurry as a result of the cataract, which can be removed with surgery.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

 

 

Age-Related Macular Degeneration usually affects people who are over 50 years of age. The macula is the part of the eye that provides clear vision, but when this condition develops, the macula is gradually destroyed, leading to loss of vision. In order to catch this condition as early as possible, be sure to visit your eye doctor at least annually for a thorough eye exam. Various treatment options are available depending upon the type of Age-Related Macular Degeneration that you suffer from and how advanced it is.

By knowing about the common eye conditions that can affect individuals as they age, you can be prepared for changes to your vision that are actually quite normal. Seeing your eye care professional at least yearly, however, is an important step in maintaining your eye health and your vision.

This guest post is written by Nancy Baker. She is a freelance blogger who is currently writing for Eye Laser Clinic of Victoria, a leading laser eye clinic center in Australia. She enjoys swimming and trekking in her free time. You can also follow her on Twitter @Nancy Baker.

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