Starting in their early to mid-40s, adults may start to experience unfamiliar eye problems. These issues may develop organically, but there are also certain physical conditions that can increase your risk for vision problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration. The same is true of high cholesterol, thyroid, anxiety, depression, and arthritis. Learn more about the eyesight difficulties that tend to develop in adults as our eyes continue to age.
Presbyopia
Thought to be caused by a gradual thickening of the natural lens inside the eye, presbyopia reduces eye elasticity. This means your eyes may encounter difficulty when reading, writing, or focusing on anything up close.
Presbyopia is fairly prevalent: a little over a decade ago, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that about 112 million Americans were presbyopic—a number expected to reach about 123 million in 2020. Although this widespread condition cannot be prevented or cured, eyeglasses with line-free multiple lenses usually provide clear vision at all distances.
Driver's Glare
When driving, the glare from oncoming headlines at night and sunlight reflecting from pavement or windshields during the day can become increasingly troublesome—and dangerous—as a person ages. Changes in the lens of an aging eye also can cause the light entering it to scatter instead of focusing precisely on the retina.
Increasing Eye Particles
As we age, we tend to see more spots or "floaters" in our eyes. These shadowy images are simply particles drifting in the fluid of the eye, and seeing these occasionally is normal. However, when a person suddenly begins to see an increasing number of floating particles along with bright flashing lights, an optometrist should be contacted immediately. This disturbance may signal a tear in the retina, which eventually could become detached if left untreated.
Declining Peripheral Vision
Losing vision on the side of one or both eyes may be an indication of
glaucoma, during which a damaged optic nerve can no longer transmit visual images to the brain.
When any of these eye problems arises, the professionals at Excellent Vision excel at working with our patients ages 40 and up who have concerns about these or other eye issues. We provide the utmost in eye care for residents of Maine and New Hampshire, and we welcome you to see us for eye examinations, prescriptions, and
contact lenses, among other services. Please call us at 603-430-5225 or
fill out our contact form so we can help.
