As you age, it’s only natural that your eyesight will begin to suffer. Whether it’s the degeneration of the eye itself or complications associated with other conditions, no one really escapes contact lenses and eye infections.
From weak eyesight when they reach old age. Most of these are completely normal and don’t represent any major medical threat, but it still helps to be prepared to manage these.
Conditions like heart disease, diabetes and even nutritional deficiencies can cause eye related problems. Some common types of eye conditions that people begin to experience after the age of 40 include:
Age Related Macular Degeneration
AMD usually affects people who’ve aged beyond 60 years, compromising their central vision. The condition doesn’t really affect peripheral vision but it’s a major reason why many elderly can’t really perform basic tasks. In some of its later stages, it can develop into full-blown blindness.
The condition is linked to age related factors; however, the risk is higher if the patient is a smoker and genetics have also shown to play a significant role in the onset of the condition.
Cataracts
Cataracts are also a fairly common eye-related condition that affects a large part of the older population. When people begin to develop cataracts, their eye lenses become cloudy and blur their vision. There is no certainty about how much or how fast the condition will compromise their vision.
The only symptom of the condition is the blurring of people’s vision, without any physical discomfort or inflammation.
Luckily, cataract surgery easily fixes that condition.
Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions in the world. In its advanced stages the condition can affect the nerves and tissues in the eyes which can cause blindness. The condition is called diabetic retinopathy and is currently one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.
Another type of diabetic eye disease is the Diabetic Macular Edema, whereby the macular tissue swells up to cause vision problems. Each of these conditions often manifests in the later stages of diabetes.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is actually a collection of different eye diseases which affect the optical nerve. Early stages of glaucoma have no symptoms. Only an eye exam can detect early signs of the disease. Currently 2 million Americans are suffering from the condition.
Dry Eyes
Dry eyes occur when the eyes stop producing tears to keep the eye lubricated. This can cause irritation and inflammation of the eyes owing to the friction from lack of lubrication. If the condition is chronic it can cause visual impairments and damage to eye structures.
Dr Gilberg and Associates offer expert eye-treatment services in North Miami. Our services include contact lenses and eye infections examinations, digital eye tests and emergency eye care for numerous eye-related conditions. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services.