There are many things that tend to ‘sneak up’ on you in life as you age. Perhaps it’s a few extra pounds, maybe it’s insomnia. But one thing that people who are aging can usually count on is changes in your eyesight. No matter if you have had 20/20 vision your whole life – your body is a machine and its moving parts tend to age and wear out. That means you should add annual eye exams to your list of ‘to-dos’ when it comes to complete health.
Many people either don’t realize or simply don’t attend to the recommended annual eye exam that is part of the wellness process. Even if you have not done so, age 50 is a good time to start to begin regular eye exams. In fact, by age 50 you should make it a habit to attend to your overall health with a complete annual physical which should include a visit to the optometrist.
One of the most common eyesight problems after 50 is that you may lose the ability to see things up close. That is called far-sightedness. Far-sightedness is a challenge and will begin to limit your motions and behaviors. You will struggle to read things like menus and pill bottles. On the opposite end of the spectrum is near-sightedness. In this case, you cannot clearly see things from a distance. This will impact your ability to drive safely.
These are not the only two vision problems that begin to affect people over 50. Glaucoma is a third major vision problem for people as they age. Glaucoma is a condition in which the eye’s optic nerve is damaged because of increased pressure in the eye. It is very common in older adults and there is no cure. However, there are treatments and they are most effective when the condition is caught early.
So, as you can see, eye exams for people 50 and over are very important when it comes to peak vision performance. To schedule your eye exam contact the professionals at Island Eyecare.