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Senior Vision Care
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As we get older many aspects of our vision change. Because of this, it is important to make regular visits to your optometrist, so your vision can be monitored. We are here to help with any concerns you may have about your vision.
Two common eye conditions that cause vision deterioration as you age are cataracts and macular degeneration. These both effect your eyes by substantially reducing your vision, however, both affect your vision very differently:
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Cataracts
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What are they?
Cataracts occur when the lens inside your eye becomes increasingly opaque resulting in 'misty' or 'foggy' vision.
What are some effects of cataracts’?
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In the early stages someone may notice a 'film' in their everyday vision.
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Things that used to look black and white now look grey and colours are perceived as dull.
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As cataract becomes more advanced, vision becomes foggy, less detail is seen, reading
can be slower, television isn't perfectly clear and driving becomes difficult when
driving into the sun, at this stage new spectacles will not restore 'normal' vision.
Can cataracts be helped?
Usually the answer is yes. Corrective surgery removes the cataract (the cloudy lens), and an artificial lens (intra-ocular lens) is put in its place. Most people will benefit from surgery. Your overall health and any other eye conditions you may have will be considered before a decision is made to operate. Your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) to confirm that you will benefit from having your cataracts removed.
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Macular degeneration
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What is it?
Macular degeneration is also know as age-related maculopathy. As our eyes age, the retina (lining the inside of the back of the eyeball) starts to deteriorate, making clear vision more difficult. This is particularly true of the most sensitive part of the retina, the centrally located macula. When this region starts to change, sharpness of vision is lost and this can lead to difficulty with reading, and sometimes, the need to give up driving.
Does Macular degeneration cause blindness?
Macular degeneration may cause vision problems, but it rarely ends in total blindness. The condition tends to progress slowly with only some aspects of vision being affected. Peripheral vision is not affected, but a loss in detail when looking directly at an object can be an early sign of macular degeneration. Other early symptoms of macular degeneration usually involve an awareness of blurring in the central vision; sometimes vision may become distorted. For instance there might appear to be a 'kink' in an otherwise straight doorframe.
Who gets Macular degeneration?
Many people who are aged 70 and over have some macular degeneration. If there is a family history of macular degeneration there may be an increased risk. In addition, people with certain medical conditions (e.g. diabetes) may be more likely to develop macular degeneration. Its is therefore important to make sure you have regular health check-ups. Smoking is a known risk factor for macular degeneration.
What treatment is available?
Certain types of macular degeneration can be medically treated and often vision can be improved with specialised spectacles and other visual aids. We will be able to advise you on this and where appropriate, provide referral. A healthy diet that includes dark green leafy vegetables is necessary to help maintain macular health.
Some suggestions:
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Regular eye examination will help you make the most of your vision.
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Continue to enjoy reading and the like - avoiding close work will not 'save' your eyes.
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Have good lighting when doing close work, preferably with a reflector lamp
to illuminate your task.
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When outdoors, wear a hat with a brim to reduce unwanted glare from the sky.
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Sunglasses may be very helpful in bright conditions.
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Ensure you have an adequate diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.
Both cataracts and macular degeneration are more likely to develop as we get older. For many people there is only mild loss of vision with either of the conditions. If you notice any of the above we recommend you make an appointment with one of our optometrists for an eye evaluation as soon as possible. Any sudden loss of vision is unlikely to be due to cataract or macular degeneration and such an event requires immediate attention.
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Glaucoma
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Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the fluid pressure inside the eye causes progressive damage to parts of the optic nerve. The pressure usually increases when there is inadequate drainage of fluid from inside the eye. A gradual but permanent loss of vision occurs unless the condition is treated.
How does Glaucoma affect my sight?
If the pressure is raised for a period of time, some fibres of the optic nerve which conduct impulses from light sensitive cells of the retina to the brain are destroyed. Because the loss of vision occurs slowly, and away from the direct line of clearest vision, a person with glaucoma may not notice any changes to their sight until a considerable reduction to the field of vision has occurred. Without treatment, this loss continues until the eye is blind.
How is Glaucoma detected?
We will check for glaucoma as part of a regular eye examination. Tests include assessing the appearance of the optic nerve head, measuring the pressure in the eye, and analysing the complete field of vision. If any signs of glaucoma are detected, you will be referred to an ophthalmologist (eye specialist) for further evaluation.
Who gets Glaucoma?
Anyone may develop glaucoma, but the risk increases as age increase, and the risk is higher if close relatives have glaucoma. About 2 in 100 people over the age of 40 have glaucoma. By age 60 the rate is 3 people in 100, rising to 5 in 100 of people over 80 having glaucoma.
Everyone, especially those over 40, should have their eyes examined regularly to check that no eye health problems are present or developing. A thorough optometric examination will ensure that you continue to have efficient, comfortable vision and healthy eyes. Do not forget that most people begin to have difficulty with near vision in their forties. This is a normal ageing process solved by using spectacles to help with close work.
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Diabetes & your eyes
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One of the most distressing and difficult complications of diabetes is reduced vision. Diabetes is a leading cause of preventable blindness in the adult population.
How does Diabetes affect my sight?
Diabetes may cause damage the retina, and produce changes called diabetic retinopathy.
The early symptoms are quite common amongst those with diabetes. Often, these changes are minor (non sight threatening) but require regular monitoring.
In some cases, the early signs of diabetic retinopathy progress to a more severe form of eye disease. If untreated, 50% of those affected will suffer serious visual loss.
Examination of the retina is a simple procedure and usually involves drops which dilate your pupils so that the retina can be directly examined and photographed using modern digital cameras.
The drops will blur your near vision and make your eyes more sensitive to light. You should bring a pair of sunglasses with you. Although some people can drive afterwards, we recommend either leaving your car behind or arranging a driver.
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Low Vision
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Low vision is vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery. A person with low vision has limited sight that often interferes with daily activities. Low vision should not be confused with blindness. People with low vision have some useful vision and this can often be improved with low vision aids. Visual impairment may range from mild to severe. Low vision usually results in reduced central or reading vision, but may also result from decreased side (peripheral) vision, a loss of colour vision, or an inability to properly adjust to light, contrast or glare. Many aids are available to help people with low vision including magnifiers, special reading glasses and closed-circuit television devices.
Note: People with refractive error are sometimes incorrectly thought to have low vision if they are not wearing their spectacles or contact lenses. For example: if a person's visual acuity improves from 6/24 to 6/9 with their glasses, they are not considered to have low vision. However, it is also important to note that not everyone with refractive error (i.e. myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or presbyopia) can have their vision fully corrected.
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Contact Details
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Tarbutt Optometrists
33 Duke Street
PO Box 152
Cambridge 3450
T: 07 827 6597
F: 07 827 6598
E: enquiries@tarbutt.co.nz
Tarbutt Optometrists are located at 33 Duke St (West) in the blue two storey building next door to the fire station.
Please click here for a map
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