Rites of Sight
Your Second 50 years
A Presentation of the
American Optometric Association
Vision changes
occur naturally with age.
Common Vision Changes
Many adults find that “their arms aren’t
long enough”
Loss of clarity when reading, doing
close work, or driving
Sensitivity to light
More time required to adjust to different
light conditions
Benjamin Franklin, famous
inventor & presbyope
Although not an
optometrist, he is
credited with
inventing bifocals.
Presbyopia
Natural age-related eye condition
The eye stops growing during the
teenage years, but cells in the flexible
lens of the eye haven’t stopped
growing, and this continued growth
makes the lens less flexible
The lens loses the ability to change
focus
Most changes can be treated by
your Optometrist
 Reading glasses
 Bifocals
 Trifocals
 Progressive addition
lenses
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
Astigmatism
 Light rays fail to
meet in a focal point
which results in
blurred vision
Hyperopia
 Also referred to as
farsightedness
 Ability to see
DISTANT objects
more clearly than
near objects
Myopia
Also referred to as
nearsightedness
Ability to see NEAR
objects more clearly
than distant objects
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
Spots & Floaters
 Harmless protein materials floating in the
vitreous or gel-like material inside the eye
 Not serious, but if they appear larger, or
as showers of brilliant sparks or flashes
they may signify the presence of serious
eye problems such as retinal detachment
or complications of high blood pressure or
diabetes
Age-Related Eye
Diseases
Cataracts
 Cells in lens swell and
cloud lens preventing
light from reaching the
retina
 Glasses and contact
lenses can sometimes
improve vision
temporarily until surgery
is required
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
 Surgery removes clouded
lens, replaces with artificial
lens
 Medicare covers surgery
and follow-up care
Diabetic Retinopathy
 Can weaken, and cause changes in the small blood
vessels that nourish the retina (delicate, light
sensitive lining of back of eye). Blood vessels may
begin to leak, swell or develop branches of new, but
abnormal vessels that are prone to bleeding inside
the retina or eye.
 Early stages may cause blurred vision, or may
produce no visual symptoms at all. As disease
progresses, symptoms may include cloudiness of
vision, blind spots, floaters or other vision
disturbances.
Diabetic Retinopathy
 If left untreated, can cause blindness. Once
damage has occurred, the effects are usually
permanent.
 For people with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy
is controllable by taking prescribed
medication as instructed, sticking to a diet,
exercising regularly, reducing high blood
pressure and avoiding alcohol and smoking.
Glaucoma
 Fluid pressure in eye
increases or does not
drain properly, results
in damage to the optic
nerve and nerve fibers
 No early warning signs
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
 Blindness can occur if
left untreated
 Vision loss from
glaucoma cannot be
restored
Ocular Hypertension
 Increase in pressure in eyes with no
detectable changes in vision or damage to
eyes
 Term used to distinguish people with elevated
pressure from those with glaucoma
 Occurs most frequently in those over age 40,
African Americans, and those with family
histories of ocular hypertension and/or
glaucoma as well as in those with diabetes
Ocular Hypertension
 No noticeable signs or symptoms
 Not all people with ocular hypertension will
develop glaucoma. However, there is an
increased risk of glaucoma among those with
ocular hypertension
 No cure for ocular hypertension, however,
careful monitoring and treatment can
decrease the risk of damage to eyes
Macular Degeneration
 Leading cause of blindness in U.S.
 Affects the macula, the area of eye
responsible for clear, sharp vision, located at
back of eye
 Symptoms include: gradual loss of ability to
see objects clearly, distorted vision, and
gradual loss of color vision
 As disease advances, areas of distortion,
disruption or even localized vision loss often
appear centrally
Macular Degeneration
 Two kinds:
WET-- swelling of
macula, treatable with
anti-inflammatory drugs
and/or laser therapy
DRY-- age-related
degeneration, not
treatable, but certain
vitamins and minerals
may help prevent or
slow progression
Photo courtesy of National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
 Vision loss cannot be
restored
 Low vision devices can
be prescribed to make
the most out of
remaining vision
IMPORTANT!
After age 60
an annual,
comprehensive eye
examination is an
important way to
maintain eye health.
Benefits of Regular Eye Exams
Eye problems and even early stages of
many systemic diseases can be
detected during a comprehensive eye
exam.
Early detection is the key to preventing
irreversible vision loss.