Did you know that many older people have good eyesight into their 80’s and beyond? Growing older does not always mean you see poorly. But age brings changes that can weaken your eyes.
There are some easy things to try when these changes happen. You might add brighter lights in more places around the house--like at work counters, stairways, and favorite reading places. This may help you see better and can sometimes prevent accidents caused by weak eyesight.
While older people have more eye problems and eye diseases than younger people, you can prevent or correct many of them by:
- Seeing your doctor regularly to check for diseases like diabetes, which could cause eye problems if not treated.
- Having a complete eye exam with an eye specialist every 1 to 2 years. Most eye diseases can be treated when they are found early. The eye doctor should enlarge (dilate) your pupils by putting drops in your eyes. This is the only way to find some eye diseases that have no early signs or symptoms. The eye doctor should test your eyesight, your glasses, and your eye muscles. You should also have a test for glaucoma.
- Taking extra care if you have diabetes or a family history of eye disease. Have an eye exam through dilated pupils every year. See an eye doctor at once if you have any loss or dimness of eyesight, eye pain, fluids coming from the eye, double vision, redness, or swelling of your eye or eyelid.
