| As we age so do our eyes so it is important to | | | | it with the eye that does not have it making up |
| take precautions to avoid certain eye problems. A | | | | for the eye that is effected. Eventually, both |
| common eye problem is called macular | | | | eyes will be effected over time in most cases. |
| degeneration that comes with aging. This eye | | | | Another problem with your eyes as you age is |
| problem is caused by deterioration of the tissues | | | | cataracts. Cataracts cloud the eye and are a |
| in the eye. This is a chronic eye disease with no | | | | common type of eye problem. There are three |
| cure, but promising new treatments emerging. It | | | | basic types of cataracts that you should be |
| can give a person blurry vision and central blind | | | | aware of which are nucleus, cortical and |
| spots. There are two different kinds of macular | | | | sub-capsular. The nucleus cataract forms itself in |
| degeneration, which are the wet and dry kind. | | | | the middle of the lens. A sub-capsular cataract is |
| The wet kind is known to be more serious but | | | | at the back of the lens and the cortical cataract |
| less likely to occur. This kind can give you visual | | | | starts in the cortex. If you have a cataract you |
| distortions such as seeing straight lines being | | | | need not to worry, they can be successfully |
| crooked or wavy in appearance. You may notice | | | | removed by having outpatient surgery and an |
| objects looking very small or being farther away | | | | artificial lens implanted to replace the old lens. |
| then they really are. You may notice loss of your | | | | Today their are custom implants that can help |
| central vision with blurry spots. It may progress | | | | correct for astigmatism, and also correct the |
| rapidly without treatment. Eye injections of two | | | | spherical abbe rations of the eye that can |
| different medications have been widely used the | | | | degrade your eyesight. There are even eye lens |
| last few years to help help control the wet form. | | | | implants that can help some people see close |
| The dry form develops much slower, Specific | | | | objects and distant vision. |
| supplements have been shown to delay the | | | | Another eye problem you may encounter as you |
| progression of the dry form into the more | | | | grow older is called dry eye syndrome. As we |
| severe wet form. A new National Eye Institute | | | | age, we do not produce as many tears as before. |
| study is underway to see if changes in the | | | | It is known to cause discomfort, burning eyes, |
| supplements will improve their effectiveness. | | | | and pain. All eye exams should include dilation of |
| If you have dry macular degeneration you may | | | | your eyes, but it is especially important that you |
| notice blurriness in the words that you read, less | | | | have a thou rough eye exam, glaucoma test, and |
| color in certain objects and have a harder time | | | | dilation of the eyes annually to detect these eye |
| recognizing peoples faces. Your vision may start | | | | diseases as you approach your mature years. |
| to seem hazy and you will have the need for | | | | A healthy diet and exercise, proper nutrition, and |
| brighter light. With both kinds of macular | | | | avoiding smoking are the best preventative |
| degeneration, it may only effect one of the eyes. | | | | measures you can take to assure a lifetime of |
| Sometimes people do not realize that they have | | | | healthy vision. |