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4 Types of Common Eye Diseases in Seniors & How To Treat Them
Lisa Reisman • Aug 28, 2019
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4 Types of Common Eye Diseases in Seniors
Vision changes as we age, as with most of the things in our body. Complications with eyesight don’t have to negatively affect your lifestyle if you pay attention to the changes as they happen, and seek professional care for ways to circumvent them.
A Vision of Concern
As adults reach their 60s and beyond, they need to be more aware of the warning signs regarding are-related eye issues that could potentially lead to vision loss. It is common for eye-issues to creep on slowly without showing signs of symptoms; they can develop painlessly and by the time you notice something is wrong, may be fully advanced. Maintaining healthy eyes can be as simple as regularly scheduled eye exams and improving lifestyle choices. There are four major age-related eye diseases that affect seniors, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve resulting in vision loss. According to the National Eye Institute, the optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers. It connects the retina to the brain, and is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy optic nerve is necessary for good vision. Good vision becomes compromised with glaucoma when the normal fluid pressure inside the eye slowly rises. Glaucoma is one of the eye diseases where it usually shows no initial symptoms—and according to the Emory Eye Center, approximately three million Americans have been diagnosed with glaucoma.
The National Eye Institute provides us with symptoms that may appear as glaucoma progresses:
-Loss of peripheral vision
-Difficulty focusing on objects
-Presence of Haloes around lights
-Blurred Vision
In Georgia alone, the prediction is that 62,000 persons over the age of 40 will develop glaucoma. Without treatment, people with glaucoma will peripheral vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends eye examinations at least one to two years for African Americans and Latinos over the age of 40, and anyone over the age of 65 years old. People with a family history of glaucoma and people with diabetes also need to have regularly scheduled eye examinations because diabetes increases ones chance of developing eye diseases. Usually a dilated eye is used to assess the patient’s vision and optic nerve; a procedure called a “tonometry” measures eye pressure along with visual field testing to check peripheral vision.
Treatment for glaucoma can be assessed by a ophthalmologist given the particular case. Medications are prescribed for a first line of defense, but studies at the Emory Eye Center and in other instances have provided increasing evidence that people respond better to laser surgery and microsurgery.
Cataracts
A cataract, according to an article on Aging Care’s website, is clouding of the eye’s usually transparent lens. This lens is made of water and protein, and while healthy eyes remain clear, the protein has the ability to stick together and obscure transmission of light through the lens. Age-related cataracts can evolve from this clumping of protein, which tends to only affect a small part of the lens. Cataracts tend to form slowly, with the cloudy area in the lens getting larger and larger until seeing may become more difficult.
Another concern is when your lens starts to show yellowish/brown coloring, which can add a brown tint to your vision. Aging in general may cause a change in the coloring of your eyes, however gradually acquiring a brown tint may worsen and make it difficult to read or carry out daily activities. Advanced lens discoloration may cause trouble identifying between blues and purples.
According to the National Eye Institute, the most common symptoms of cataracts are:
-Cloudy or blurry vision
-Colors seem faded
-Glare (Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights).
-Poor night vision
-Double vision or multiple images in one eye (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger)
-Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding disorder that is a complication from diabetes. Diabetes causes abnormal changes in the retina’s blood vessels, and causes them to become leaky and grow larger when they should remain the same size. These vessels try to repair themselves, but given their fragile state eventually detach from the retina. Symptoms common with diabetic retinopathy include seeing shadowy figures float across your field of vision as well as partial loss of vision, and pain in the eye.
A major contributor of this disorder is high blood sugar, which come along with the diagnosis of diabetes. Unfortunately there is no cure for diabetic retinopathy; however, the laser treatment called “photocoagulation” can be helpful in stopping the loss of vision if done early on in the diagnosis.
Eye Testing
Every senior should be diligent about their vision screening in order to catch potential eye diseases early enough to treat. According to Aging Care’s website, an ophthalmologist should perform these three tests to determine eye health:
-Visual acuity test: The familiar lettered eye chart measures how well you see at various distances.
-Pupil dilation: Drops are placed in the eye to widen the pupil. This allows the doctor to view more of the retina and look for signs of disease. After the examination, close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours.
Tonometry: This test determines the fluid pressure inside the eye, and there are many methods of doing so. An “air puff” test is the most common way to screen for high intraocular pressure. It is a painless process in which a small jet of air is shot against the cornea. Other more involved tests may be required to obtain more accurate readings.
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