Common Eye Conditions And Eye Treatments In The Elderly - By: Kathryn Dawson

Changes in vision such as blind spots, blurriness, halos around lights, or dimness of vision must be assessed by an eye doctor for proper eye treatments. These can signal underlying eye disease, eye injury, medical conditions, or may just be a part of the normal ageing process.

Over time, these eye conditions can become worse and can significantly affect the quality of life. These should never be ignored, whatever the underlying cause may be. Most of these problems, especially those that commonly occur with advancing age can easily be treated and can also be prevented.

Presbyopia is one of the most common eye problems in the elderly. It presents as progressive diminished ability to focus on near objects. It usually begins around the age of 40 but barely noticeable. After a few years, there can be noticeable blurred vision when reading, sewing, writing, watching television, or working on the computer. This can cause headaches and eye strain. Everyone will almost certainly have presbyopia as part of eye ageing. The most common treatment is bifocal lenses wherein the lower portion of the lens has a stronger prescription for viewing up close. Reading glasses are also an option and these are worn only during close work. Surgical treatment is also available. Laser vision correction is one way of treating the condition. Refractive lens exchange or lens replacement surgery replaces the natural lens of the eye with an artificial one to correct presbyopia as well as other refractive problems.

Cataracts are cloudiness over the lens of the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to ageing and by the age of 80, more than half of the population have a cataract or had undergone cataract operation. With advancing age, proteins in the lens of the eye may clump together and cloud a small area of the lens. Over time, this cloudiness can grow larger, making it harder to see clearly. Some risk factors include smoking, alcohol intake, prolonged and constant exposure to UV rays of the sun, and some diseases such as diabetes. Other symptoms include fading of colour vision, increased glare, halos around lights, poor night vision, frequent prescription changes, and double vision. Early cataracts can be improved with brighter lighting, new eyeglasses, and anti glare sunglasses. For more advanced cases, surgery is the only option. A tiny incision is made on the front portion of the eye where a tiny probe is inserted. The device sends ultrasound waves that gently break up the lens so that it can be suctioned out. Another type of surgery involves making a larger incision and removing the cloudy lens in one piece. An artificial lens is then placed permanently to replace the cloudy one.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness. This happens when the fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises, risking damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain. Everyone above the age of 60 is at increased risk of developing glaucoma. Other significant factors are family history of glaucoma, diabetes, hypothyroidism, short sightedness, and previous eye injuries. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can prevent or minimize damage to the optic nerve. Treatment involves reducing intraocular pressure. Though the condition cannot be totally cured and the damage irreversible, early treatment can slow or prevent further loss of vision. Treatments include medicated eye drops, oral medications, and surgery.

Macular degeneration or age related macular degeneration or AMD is a common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. It is characterized by deterioration of central vision. Central vision is needed to see objects clearly and do tasks such as driving and reading. It is a painless condition and in some cases, it progresses very slowly that vision changes are almost unnoticeable. Early diagnosis is the key to preventing vision loss. The goal of treatment is to preserve eyesight and avert loss of vision. Treatments include injectable drug therapy, photodynamic therapy, vitamin supplements, mineral supplements, surgery, and laser treatment.

Regardless of the type of eye conditions, there are eye treatments available for everyone. Before deciding on the treatment method, discuss with the eye doctor regarding expectations, possible complications, laser eye surgery cost, treatment alternatives, and associated risks of the procedure.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes articles about various eye treatments and laser eye surgery cost for eye diseases such as glaucoma and age related macular degeneration. Age related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults. Find out about eye conditions today.

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