Healthy Aging Month

September is Healthy Aging Month, drawing focus on smart ways to remain healthy, strong and full of vitality into your 60s and beyond. This national promotion includes tips on eating well, staying active, managing stress, quitting smoking and, of course, taking care of your precious peepers.

One in six Americans age 65 and older has an eye condition that reduces the quality of their vision. Left undiagnosed and untreated, some can lead to serious vision loss, even blindness. Protecting your vision is about more than having an exam to assess your eyesight and provide a prescription for glasses. Full protection includes having regular dilated-pupil exams to ensure your eyes are safe from a range of stealthy, sight-robbing diseases that become more common as people get older. Conditions to which we become more vulnerable include:

Cataracts – Over time, cataracts form on the lens of the eye, causing clouding, muted colors, blurred vision, light sensitivity and other vision problems. Cataract surgery safely removes the damaged lens and replaces it with a new intraocular lens that can restore most people to 20/20 vision or better. Noticeable vision improvement occurs within the 24-48 hours following surgery, with continuing progress over the coming week or two.

Chronic dry eye – Eyes can stop producing enough quality tear film to maintain comfort, resulting in grittiness, redness, irritation and blurred vision. Eye drops, specific vitamins and special eye cleansers can deliver significant relief. However, chronic dry eye is often the result of blockages in the eyelids, which diminish tear quality and cause moisture to evaporate too quickly from the eye’s surface. Lake Eye offers a warming eyelid massage system that gently unblocks moisture ducts and improves function, for lasting relief from chronic dry eyes.

Presbyopia – Presbyopia is the gradual loss of near vision, which typically begins in one’s 40s and continues to worsen into one’s 60s.

Most people address presbyopia with reading glasses, but there are surgical options available to reduce dependence on glasses.

Glaucoma – Glaucoma describes a group of eye diseases that cause blindness. Glaucoma typically produces no symptoms other than gradual vision loss. Most cases of glaucoma can be successfully managed with prescription eye drops. More serious cases respond favorably to state-of-the-art glaucoma surgery, which can slow disease progression and, in some cases, restore some lost vision.

Age-related macular degeneration – AMD describes age-related damage to the macula, which controls central vision. The primary symptom is blurred vision. Left untreated, AMD can result in a complete loss of central vision. While it can’t be cured, AMD can be managed and vision protected.

Diabetic retinopathy – This serious disease involves damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Management of diabetic retinopathy goes hand-in-hand with proper management of diabetes, including closely monitoring blood sugar. Serious cases can be successfully treated using laser surgery.

Eyelid disorders – Drooping eyelids, under-eye bags, and inward- or outward-turning eyelids can diminish one’s field of vision and invite infection. Eyelid surgery can safely restore eyelids to a more normal function and appearance with minimal downtime.

The Importance of Regular Exams
When caught in time, all of these age-related conditions can be managed or cured, and healthy vision preserved, even improved. That’s why everyone 65 and older should have a comprehensive eye exam every one to two years. People with conditions such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis should be seen once or twice a year. Sadly, far too many people don’t have regular eye health exams, giving rise to problems like AMD, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. Advances in technology make diagnosing and treating these conditions easier and more effective than ever before, so prioritizing your eye health is a key to enjoying a full and rewarding life.

So much about aging is sort of out of our hands, but eye health and vision are things you can actively protect. If you haven’t seen your eye doctor in a while, call for an appointment today. It’s a simple, easy way to keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear, crisp and bright at any age.

Lake Eye
352-775-1533 . LakeEye.com