A staggering 12 million people in the US aged 40 and older suffer from vision impairment. Worse, these are only the reported cases, so it’s likely that there are more who have impaired eyesight.
The thing is, many of these aging eye problems are preventable. While some aren’t curable, early treatment can stop them from becoming complete blindness.
That’s why as early as now, you need to get your vision and eye surgeon facts straight. Arming yourself with the knowledge about eye disorders can help you put a stop to vision loss.
Ready to learn all about what eye surgeons want you to know about the health of your aging eyes? Then let’s get right into it!
1. Cataracts May Take Years Before They Become Obvious
On a global scale, cataract diseases are the main cause of visual loss and blindness. It accounts for almost half of all cases involving vision impairment in the world.
In the US alone, about 25 million people live with cataracts. African Americans, unfortunately, are at a higher risk of developing this condition.
The belief that these diseases always come with visible symptoms may be making it worse. True, one of its most common symptoms is the obvious cloudy or whitish layer on the affected eye. However, this formation may take years to become noticeable.
There are also at least three types of cataracts: subcapsular, nuclear, and cortical. Each of these affects specific areas of the lens of the eyes. Other medical conditions, like diabetes, can also raise one’s risk for cataract development.
Of these cataracts types though, nuclear cataract is the one associated with aging.
2. Glaucoma is Just As Sneaky
Glaucoma, a group of diseases of the optic nerves, affects up to 3 million people in the US. However, experts say that only half of the sufferers are aware that they have it.
One reason is that it can start without noticeable symptoms. This is especially true for “open-angle glaucoma”, which is the most common type. It’s often painless at the get-go, so some people end up being unaware that they have it until it’s too late.
By late, we mean permanent blindness.
In fact, glaucoma is a leading reason for blindness in people aged 60 or over. It’s for this reason that this disease is often regarded as age-related.
It can, however, affect people of all ages. Some estimates say that between 9% and 12% of all cases of blindness are due to glaucoma.
3. Aging May Only Rob One Of Your Eyes Its Sight
Around 14 million Americans suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the destruction of the macula, which is an oval-shaped, pigmented area in the retina. It’s the part of the eye that allows for sharp, central, and clear vision.
In some cases, however, AMD may only affect one of the eyes. For example, dry macular degeneration can cause blurriness in just a single eye. The other eye will compensate for this, so you may not notice a significant change in your vision yet.
This can then lead to you believing that both your eyes are still okay. Over time, however, you’ll start to experience visual distortions. You may find it harder and harder to read small-sized texts, especially under low light.
4. Your Blood Sugar Levels May Also Hinder Your Eyesight
Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially-blinding side-effect of diabetes. Researchers estimate that this eye condition could affect up to 6 million people in the US by 2020.
Diabetes also increases one’s risk of cataracts by two to five times. People who have this condition also have twice the risk of developing glaucoma.
The question is, how exactly can diabetes rob you of your sight?
Diabetes is a disease that occurs due to high blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels. When blood sugar levels remain high all the time, they can damage blood vessels. Keep in mind that the eyes have many tiny blood vessels, so diabetes can reach these too.
Diabetes can affect people of all ages, but the risks are higher as one gets older. That’s why diabetes is more common in older adults. As a result, diabetes-caused eye diseases are also often age-related.
5. Regular Vision Testing Can Unearth These Problems Early On
You may not be able to control your age, but you can reduce your risks for the vision problems that come with aging. One way to lower your odds of losing your eyesight is through regular vision testing.
Vision screening allows your eye doctor to discover early signs of eye problems. These tests can uncover the less-visible symptoms of cataracts, glaucoma, and AMD. They may even be the key to revealing that you have pre-diabetes!
By having your eyes checked at least once a year, your ophthalmologist can keep an eye on your eye health. If any issue arises, your eye surgeon can provide you with appropriate treatment ASAP. This can then help slow the progress of age-related eye conditions.
6. Insurance Can Help Bring Your Costs Down
At this point, you may be asking “does Medicare pay for laser cataract surgery?” You may also be wondering if your private health insurance will help cover some of your eye health costs.
The exact coverage depends, but yes, Medicare and private plans will help cover some of your costs. You may also get coverage for corrective lenses and ongoing care. Medicare and supplemental insurance may even cover your eye doctor’s or surgeon’s fees!
That said, be sure to ask the eye specialist about your insured options first. This way, they can help determine which parts of your treatment plan are within your coverage.
Keep in Mind These Eye Surgeon Facts To Keep Your Peepers in Good Health
There you have it, the key eye surgeon facts that ophthalmologists want everyone to know. Now that you know the truth about vision loss and aging, you can better protect yourself — and your eyes. Age may just be a number, but you don’t want to be part of the statistics either.
So, as soon as you can, pay your friendly eye specialist a well-deserved visit! This way, you’ll know exactly what’s going on with your eyes.
Ready for more health and life pro tips to deal with aging gracefully? Then be sure to check out the rest of the posts filed under this site’s Health section!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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