The aging process causes natural changes in how your body looks and functions. Unfortunately, the eyes aren’t immune to the effects of aging and undergo various changes with time. By understanding these changes, you can more effectively care for your eyes with each passing year.
Some of the most notable changes that the eyes experience with age include:
Loss of Low-Light Vision
Age causes the lens to become less clear and stiffer. These changes make it more difficult to see clearly in low-light environments. Older adults often notice this change while trying to read the menu in restaurants.
Loss of Peripheral Vision
Glaucoma becomes more common as we age. With regular exams, the changes in the optic nerve that precede any serious vision loss are usually visible. By undergoing an eye exam at least every year, you can make sure that any concerning changes in your vision are addressed as early as possible. Often, the exam in a retail setting often is not detailed enough to notice the early signs of glaucoma.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia refers to changes in the eye’s natural lens that compromise its ability to focus on near objects. The lens becomes stiffer and less able to change focus. Also called presbyopia, this is the reason why most older adults need reading glasses to read clearly up close.
Dry Eye
The eyes become drier with age, as the tear glands don’t produce as many tears. Additionally, the tears that these glands do produce later in life don’t contain as many hydrating oils. In some older adults, this causes persistent dry eye.
Reduced Color Vision
The same aging changes in the lens, early cataracts, make colors appear less vibrant. Whites can appear yellow, blues can appear green, and so on. The process is a slow one and easily treatable with it becomes bothersome enough for the patient.
At The Eye Clinic of Florida, we can distinguish between the natural aging process and the warning signs of serious eye conditions. Reach out to us today to schedule your appointment!