Published: 20 November 2024

The American Optometric Association has recommendations for how often adults need to get their eyes examined and those recommendations vary according to the level of risk you have for eye disease.

As you can see, the guidelines recommend more frequent exams as you get older. Here are the TOP 4 REASONS why you need your eyes examined more frequently as you get older:

1. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. It has no noticeable symptoms when it begins and the only way to detect glaucoma is through a thorough eye exam. Glaucoma gets more and more common as you get older. Your risk of glaucoma is less then 1% if you are under 50 and over 10% if you are 80 or over. The rates are higher for African Americans. Glaucoma can be treated but not cured.  The earlier it is detected and treated, the better your chances for keeping your vision.

2. Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Like glaucoma, it gets more common as you age. It affects less than 2% of people under 70, rises to 10% in your 80s and can get as high as 50% in people in their 90s. The rates are highest in Caucasians. Macular degeneration can also be treated but not cured. Early intervention leads to better outcomes.

3. Cataracts

As in the cases above, cataracts get more common as you get older.  If they live long enough, almost everyone will develop some degree of cataracts. In most people, cataracts develop slowly over many years and people may not recognize that their vision has changed. If your vision is slowly declining from cataracts and you are not aware of that change it can lead to you having more difficulty in performing life’s tasks. We get especially concerned about driving since statistics show that you are much more likely to get in a serious car accident if your vision is reduced. There is also evidence that people with reduced vision from cataracts have a higher rate of hip fractures from falls.

4. Dry Eyes

Dry eyes can affect anyone at any age but the incidence tends to be at its highest in post-menopausal women. Dry eyes can present with some fairly annoying symptoms (foreign body sensation in the eye, burning, intermittent blurriness). Sometimes there aren’t any symptoms but during an exam we can see the surface of the cornea drying out.  Dry eye can lead to significant corneal problems and visual loss if it gets severe and is left untreated.

One of the most heart-breaking things we see in the office is the 75-year-old new patient who hasn’t had an eye exam in 10 years and he comes in because his vision “just isn’t right” and his family has noticed he sometimes bumps into things. On exam, his eye pressures are through the roof and he is nearly blind from undetected glaucoma. And at that point there is no getting back the vision he has lost. If he had only come in several years earlier and just followed the guidelines, all this could have been prevented. Now he is going to have to live out the rest of his years struggling with severe vision loss.

DON’T LET THAT BE YOU!!!!!!

Article contributed by Dr. Brian Wnorowski, M.D.

This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician. The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ.

Published: 06 November 2024

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Excerpts: 3 Blinding Diseases We We Can Check for During Your Exam We sometimes get asked, "Why do I need an eye exam when I can see great?" An eye exam doesn't just check your visual acuity--we are also looking for a number of treatable eye diseases that have few or no visual symptoms in their early stages. In fact, the three leading causes of legal blindness in the United States all start with almost no visual symptoms detectable by the person with the disease. These three diseases are macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Each of these diseases gets more prevalent as people age. That is why regular eye exams are recommended to become more frequent as adults get older. Macular Degeneration: The leading cause of legal blindness in the United States is a treatable--but not curable--disease. Early detection and treatment can significantly improve the long-term outcome. In the earliest stages, often when people are unaware that they have a problem, treating the disease with a very specific vitamin regimen called AREDS 2 can help. These vitamins have been shown to slow the progression of the disease and to improve long-term outcomes. When the disease becomes more advanced there is the possibility of bleeding in the retina. If left untreated, that almost always results in severe visual loss. There are now several medications that, when injected into the bleeding eye, can arrest the bleeding and potentially improve vision. Glaucoma: The second leading cause of legal blindness in the United States is often called "the silent thief of sight." With glaucoma, there can be severe damage to the optic nerve before a person recognizes he is having a problem. Usually by the time a person notices symptoms, 70% of the optic nerve is destroyed. As of now, once that damage has occurred it cannot be reversed. This makes early diagnosis absolutely critical to saving your sight. In most cases (but not all) early detection and treatment can preserve functional vision throughout your lifetime. Diabetic Retinopathy: This is another leading cause of legal blindness that has no visual symptoms until the disease is in its advanced stages. Every diabetic should have an annual eye exam to check for signs of retinal disease. If detected and treated in its early stages, the disease can usually be controlled and the vision preserved. As you can see, there are very strong reasons to have your eyes examined regularly in order to keep good visual health and function throughout your lifetime.   Article contributed by Dr. Brian Wnorowski, M.D. This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician. The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ.