Sight is one of the strongest human senses. It’s certainly the one that most people rely on most heavily. You have to take good care of your eyes, especially if you want to have good vision later in life. As you age, you are more likely to experience common issues that affect your vision.
Cataracts
Cataracts are cloudy areas in the eye lens that prevent light from easily passing through to your retina. They form slowly and may grow to different sizes. The smaller the cataract, the less likely it is to impact your vision. Larger cataracts, however, can significantly decrease your vision.
Fortunately, they can usually be removed through surgery. During the surgery, the doctor will remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear plastic one. Cataract surgery is safe and can make a huge difference in your ability to see clearly.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a term for a group of eye conditions that cause blindness due to optic nerve damage. It’s not easy to catch glaucoma early unless you’re getting regular complete eye exams from an eye doctor since the only symptom of open-angle glaucoma (the most common type) is slow vision loss.
You can’t cure glaucoma but you can slow down vision loss. Your doctor may use prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment, or surgery to treat your glaucoma, depending on the type of glaucoma you have and what may be causing it.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the loss of your ability to read fine print or see objects close up. As frustrating as it can be, it’s a normal thing that happens throughout a lifetime. Most people don’t begin to notice it until they’re around 35-40 years old. That’s why you might see people holding reading materials at arm’s length or experiencing headaches when reading a lot or working with objects close up. There are a few ways to correct presbyopia, depending on your budget, needs, and comfort level. Talk to your eye doctor about your options if you experience presbyopia.
While you can’t predict or prevent all the vision problems you could experience, you can still take steps to protect your eye health, and by extension, your vision. See an eye doctor regularly for eye exams. That way the doctor can catch problems early, which can make a huge difference. Eat a nutritious, balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of developing diabetes, something that could cause eye problems. The better you take care of your health and your eyes, the less likely you are to experience vision problems or even vision loss later in life.
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