Poor Eyesight: Elderly Problems

03 Apr Poor Eyesight: Elderly Problems

Elderly Problems: Eye Sight

Elderly Problems by Boomeryearbook.com

Common eyesight elderly problem issues are glaucoma and cataracts. While poor eyesight is not just an elderly problem, the incidence of these particular diseases does tend to increase as we age. Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve and can lead to blindness. A cataract is a clouding that occurs on the lens of the eye that can also cause blindness.

First, there are two main types of glaucoma: open angle glaucoma and acute glaucoma. Open angle glaucoma is also known as chronic glaucoma. With this type of glaucoma your eyesight is lost very slowly and painlessly. It starts on the outside of the eye with peripheral vision and then works slowly inward until total vision is lost. It affects only two percent of people between the ages of forty and seventy, and thereafter increases by ten percent; thus making it a widespread contributing factor toward the elderly problem of blindness. It is also more common than acute glaucoma, which is a narrowing of the angle in between the back of the eye and the iris that causes pressure in the eye, creating redness and soreness.

The other eye elderly problem of cataracts is so common that by the age of eighty more than half of all Americans either have cataracts or have had cataracts. Cataracts that are age related can occur in one of two ways and can usually be treated with surgery. The first way that they can occur is by protein clumpings that develop in the eye, and overtime causes blurred or dulled vision as the protein clump grows. The other way that age related cataracts occur is the lens of the eye, normally clear, turns colored with ageing, and may cause vision to take on a sort of brownish hue. As this type of cataract progresses, you may notice that the shading you experience interferes with normal tasks such as reading. At an advanced state, you may not even be able to identify or distinguish between certain colors such as blues and purples.

Only an eye care specialist can properly diagnose or treat these two eye diseases, but it helps to be aware of the symptoms in order to ask your optometrist if you notice any changes in your eyesight or have any special concerns. If they can detect them early enough there are ways to treat the symptoms or to treat the entire problem.

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