What to Look for After You Turn 50

Surprise! Our eyes are the same age as we are. As we get older, our eyes age accordingly, and new issues appear on the horizon. According to the American Optometric Association, you may begin to notice some of the following age-related vision issues in your 40’s and 50’s:

  • Need for more light.
  • Difficulty reading and doing close work. “Printed materials can become less clear, in part because the lens in your eye becomes less flexible over time.”
  • Problems with glare. You may notice additional glare from headlights at night, or sun reflecting off windshields or pavement during the day. “Changes in your lenses in your eyes cause light entering the eye to be scattered rather than focused precisely on the retina. This creates more glare.”
  • Changes in color perception. “The normally clear lens located inside your eye may start to discolor. This makes it harder to see and distinguish between certain color shades.”
  • Reduced tear production. “With age, the tear glands in your eyes will produce fewer tears.  As a result, your eyes may feel dry and irritated.”

Additionally, there are several eye conditions to look for — and discuss with your eye doctor — once you turn 50, including the following three:

1. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the major nerve of the eye called the optic nerve, a part of the central nervous system that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. The eye experiences a gradual increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) due to an imbalance of the fluid produced in the eye and the amount of fluid drained. Over time, elevated IOP can cause vision loss. At age 50, about 2 percent of the US population has glaucoma, increasing to 4 percent by age 70 and 10 percent at 80.

People with glaucoma are often unaware they have the disease, because there are no symptoms, so we recommended you have a dilated eye exam every two years. With early diagnosis, there are treatments that can often protect against irreversible damage to the optic nerve that can lead to serious vision loss.

2. Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that typically will affect your vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. People who have cataracts often have other vision problems in one or both eyes that accompany the cataract, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism (blurred vision) and/or presbyopia (reading problems). The symptoms of an early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, cataract eye surgery is currently the only effective treatment.

3. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD is a progressive eye condition that affects as many as 15 million Americans. It is the No. 1 cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in adults 60 and older in the United States. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs, affecting reading, driving, identifying faces, watching television, navigating stairs and performing other daily tasks. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.

For many people, the first sign of macular degeneration is something they notice themselves. Straight lines, such as doorways or telephone wires, may appear wavy or disconnected. When you look at a person, her face may be blurred while the rest of her is in focus. Lines of print may be blurred in the center, or the lines may be crooked. For some people, there is a sudden blurring or loss of sight in the center of vision. For any sudden change, you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately.

There are two forms of AMD: wet and dry. There are several treatment options to slow the progression of wet AMD; there is no current treatment for dry AMD. The Discovery Eye Foundation is working to find treatments for both types of AMD.

If you notice symptoms of these conditions, any changes in your sight, or if your eyes are drier or itchy or just feel different, see your eye-care professional. Also, if you have other health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, be sure to see your ophthalmologist yearly (no matter how old you are!).