How does age affect your eyesight?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by an eye doctor - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

The change in vision as people age is a normal part of nature. The common changes and effects of age on vision will be discussed in the following article.

1. Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a condition in which it is difficult for the eyes to see clearly an object at a distance. Presbyopia occurs gradually, and at the beginning of the age of 40 people will gradually feel the effects of presbyopia. Signs of presbyopia include difficulty reading fine print, headaches, and eye strain.
Over time, the lens of the eye loses its elasticity, and so do the muscles that control the lens, making it impossible for the lens to adapt when it needs to see close objects clearly, which is the main reason. old man's man. Presbyopia is a common condition and it can be corrected very easily by wearing glasses.

2. Cataract

Cataracts seriously affect vision, and it is an age-related disease. Half of all US citizens by the age of 80 have cataracts.
Symptoms of cataracts include:
Poor vision, blurred vision. Double look in one eye. Difficulty seeing clearly at night or in low light.

See halos around lights. Sensitive to light, or glare. Looking at colors that are dark or yellow, it is difficult to distinguish between green and blue. Difficult to recognize objects with the same color as the background color behind. When cataracts seriously interfere with daily life, an artificial lens replacement treatment may be considered.

3. The phenomenon of flies

Flies are small, fleeting spots in the field of vision, most of which are normal and harmless. The phenomenon of flying flies is most noticeable when entering a place with strong light, or when looking up at a blue sky. The phenomenon of flying flies is also quite common in people with severe myopia or who have undergone cataract surgery.
If there is a sudden onset of severe flying, accompanied by loss of vision in one side, or flashes of light, it is most likely a sign of retinal detachment.
Retinal detachment is a medical emergency, as it can cause permanent vision loss, leading to blindness. So if you have any of these symptoms, go to the emergency room right away.

4. Dry eyes

Tears keep the eyes moist, reduce the risk of infection, keep the cornea smooth and clean. Sometimes tears are not secreted enough, or quality is not guaranteed, affecting the eyes.
Dry eyes can occur at any age, but is common in people over 65 years of age. Hormonal changes in postmenopausal women also increase the risk of developing dry eyes. Other factors that can cause dry eyes include medications, environmental conditions, dry weather,...
Symptoms of dry eyes include:
Burning eyes.

Feeling of itching, burning or irritation in the eyes. Blurred vision. If the dry eye is too severe, the cornea will be damaged, affecting vision.
In mild cases of dry eye, artificial tears and personalized eye care may be sufficient to improve the condition. For more severe cases, prescription medications and eye drops will be needed.

5. Other age-related changes of the eye

Some other common age-related changes to the eyes include:
The pupils become smaller, not working as well as they used to. Eyelids droop or become inflamed and this sometimes affects vision. The eyes as well as other parts of the body will decline with age. Physiologically, eye vision will decrease with age, usually from over 40 years old, near vision will be poor, then it is necessary to adjust glasses to see clearly and will continue with age. Therefore, in addition to taking care of your overall health, you should have regular eye exams, especially when there are signs of blurred vision or other abnormalities, you should go to a medical facility for examination and treatment. treat.
Eye Specialist at Vinmec International General Hospital has a comprehensive vision and eye health care function for children, adults and the elderly including: refractive error check, laser treatment and surgery. . In addition, the department also has the task of coordinating with other clinical departments in the treatment of pathological complications and eye injuries caused by accidents. In particular, the team of ophthalmologists at Vinmec are experienced doctors who have performed many types of surgery from routine to difficult surgery, especially techniques that require aesthetics. With enthusiasm and love for the profession, the team of doctors working at Vinmec always gives customers the best services with the highest service quality.

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Article reference source: webmd.com