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Normal Changes in the Aging Eye
Vision loss associated with aging and eye disorders can lead to a number of issues in the elderly, including problems with carrying out activities of daily living.
Losing Focus: Presbyopia is a natural result of aging where the lens begins to lose elasticity, making it harder to focus vision up close for such activities as reading. It is easily corrected with reading glasses or glasses with bifocal, trifocal, or progressive ("no-line") lenses.
Declining Sensitivity: Color perception and contrast sensitivity decreases as the lens of the eye becomes increasingly dense and more yellow with age.
Needing More Light: As the eye ages, the pupil gets smaller, resulting in the need for more light to see well.
In addition to normal changes in vision, older adults may experience eye disorders that can permanently affect eyesight. Often these changes include blurred or distorted images, or the loss of central or side vision. A number of conditions can potentially impair vision; the most common including:
- Macular degeneration
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Diabetic retinopathy
Indicators for vision care
- Senior citizens
- Diabetics
- Stopping uncertainly
- Hesitant steps
- Shuffling feet
- Under-reaching when picking up objects
- Over-reaching when picking up objects
Vision and quality of life
Residents who experience vision loss may experience:
- Loss of independence
- May feel out of control
- May feel cut off from the world
- May experience a loss of privacy when others have to help them complete activities of daily living
- Feelings of people staring at them when being helped
- Feelings of being cut off when not able to see gestures and facial expressions
- Feelings of inadequacy, low self-confidence, low self-esteem, and low self-worth
- May shy away from social activities
- Depression
But first and foremost, everyone -- and most especially, older adults -- should have regular eye exams to maintain eye health and for the early detection of conditions that can cause decreased vision and a lower quality of life. |
