| The process of vision
requires light to pass through the cornea and lens of the
eye and be focused on the retina which then relays the image
through the optic nerve to the brain. The lens of the eye
continually changes its shape to focus light from objects
at various distances from the eye.
When we are young, the lens is soft and flexible. As we grow
older, the lens loses its flexibility and hardens or "sets."
By age 40, the lens is unable to change shape as easily as
it once did. When this occurs, you begin to have difficulty
reading at close range. This perfectly normal condition is
called presbyopia.
There is no exercise or medication that will reverse this
process. Reading glasses or bifocals are necessary to help
the eye focus. The optical power of the glasses may need to
be increased between the ages of 40 and 60 as the lens continues
to harden.
People of all ages may experience floating
spots that sometimes resemble flying specks or "insects"
in their vision. These "floaters" develop in the
vitreous humor, a clear gel-like fluid that fills most of
the inner eye. As we grow older, the vitreous degenerates
into stringy particles that float inside the eye and cause
spots in our vision.
Most floaters are not associated with serious eye disease
and cause no damage to the eye. However, a sudden increase
in the number of floaters may signal the onset of a ruptured
blood vessel, a tear in the retina, or intraocular inflammation.
It is always wise to see your ophthalmologist when such floaters
develop to determine if they are harmless or the beginning
of a more serious problem.
As people grow older, reading and other
fine visual tasks may become more difficult. Objects may appear
faded, distorted or blurred. Although in some cases reduced
vision may be simply a refractive error correctable with glasses,
it may also be due to deterioration of the macula, the central
area of the retina. The macula is responsible for sharp distance
vision and for seeing close objects clearly.
The majority of people with macular degeneration
cannot expect to regain normal vision. Prompt laser surgery
may be successful in retarding vision loss in some
people with leaking blood vessels under the retina.
Low vision magnifying aids, large print
books, television readers, and better lighting can help many
individuals continue to read and perform other visual tasks
even after they have lost some central vision from macular
degeneration. Before aids are prescribed, a comprehensive
medical eye examination should be performed to determine if
the impairment of sight is medically treatable.
Although central vision may be seriously
impaired by macular degeneration, side vision is not affected.
Most people see well enough to take care of themselves and
perform work which does not require sharp central vision.
An ophthalmologist is the medical doctor
(MD or osteopath) educated, trained, and licensed to provide
total care of the eyes, including the diagnosis and treatment
of problems of the aging eye. Total eye care includes performing
comprehensive medical eye examinations, prescribing corrective
lenses, diagnosing diseases and disorders of the eye, and
using the appropriate medical and surgical procedures necessary
for their treatment.
If you have eye problems associated with
aging, your ophthalmologist can discuss treatment alternatives and options
with you. |
