| Visual problems often become more common as | | | | and cloudiness above the lens of the eye. It is |
| we grow older, and we should learn to take | | | | very common in the elderly, who often become |
| preventative measures to combat them and | | | | sensitive to glare, and both their daytime and |
| recognize their symptoms. They can include the | | | | nighttime vision may be affected. |
| following: | | | | Macular degeneration - This is indicated by blurred |
| Blind spots (scotomas) - These are areas in our | | | | vision, distorted vision, and poor central vision. It is |
| field of vision where it is impossible to see | | | | also the most frequent cause of blindness in |
| anything. | | | | people age 60 and above. |
| Blurred vision - This involves problems with seeing | | | | Diabetic retinopathy - This condition is indicated by |
| small details and the loss of visual sharpness. | | | | bleeding in the retina, and it can also result in |
| Visual problems should never be ignored because | | | | blindness. |
| they can grow worse and have a serious impact | | | | Floaters - These minute particles that drift over |
| on your quality of life. They may be symptomatic | | | | the eye may be harmless and brief, but they |
| of aging, an injury to the eye, a serious eye | | | | may also indicate that the retina has become |
| condition, or an illness that can affect your vision, | | | | detached. |
| such as diabetes. (In the latter case, your primary | | | | Detached retina - Some symptoms include flashes |
| care doctor should also be involved in your | | | | of light over your field of vision, floaters, or the |
| treatment.) When you decide to see a medical | | | | sensation that something is blocking one side of |
| professional, keep the following in mind: | | | | your field of vision. |
| An optician dispenses eyeglasses and does not | | | | Any eye inflammation, infection, or injury. |
| diagnose vision problems. | | | | Optic neuritis - This condition exists when the |
| An optometrist performs eye examinations and | | | | optic nerve becomes inflamed from multiple |
| may make a diagnosis based on the results of | | | | sclerosis or some type of infection. |
| those tests. In some states, this professional may | | | | Temporal arteritis - This results when the artery |
| also treat diseases of the eye. | | | | in the brain supplying blood to the optic nerve |
| An ophthalmologist is a physician who both | | | | becomes inflamed. |
| diagnoses and treats diseases of the eye. | | | | Migraines - Zigzag patterns, halos, or scotomas |
| Vision problems that may come up as we age. | | | | often indicate the onset of a migraine headache, |
| Changes in our vision and the various symptoms | | | | and the same symptoms are present with an |
| related to them listed above can be caused by a | | | | ophthalmic migraine, minus the headache. |
| wide range of factors: They include: | | | | Some medications - Antihistamines, certain high |
| Nearsightedness (or presbyopia) - This is indicated | | | | blood-pressure pills, and others. |
| by problems in seeing objects that are close at | | | | As a preventive measure, wear sunglasses, give |
| hand clearly. It is often experienced by people in | | | | up smoking, limit the amount of alcohol you |
| their early or mid 40s. | | | | consume, control your cholesterol level, blood |
| Glaucoma - This is indicated by poor night vision, | | | | sugar and blood pressure, and eat green, leafy |
| scotomas, and loss of peripheral vision. It can lead | | | | vegetables and other foods containing |
| to blindness, and may be either gradual or sudden. | | | | antioxidants. |
| Cataract - This is indicated by halos around lights | | | | |