The Aging Eye

Let’s face it - we aren’t getting younger, so lets age gracefully.  With age comes wisdom, so lets learn about what we can control.

How would your life change if you experienced vision loss? That thought can be pretty scary, which is why it’s important to take steps to protect your eyes and safeguard your vision.

Don’t be scared - just go for an annual eye exam. Most eye diseases don’t exhibit noticeable symptoms in their early stages – which is when treatment is most effective. Some eye conditions are part of the eye aging, like cataracts and retinal detachments.

Cataracts

Cataracts are NOT an eye disease, they are an aging process like gray hair. If you live long enough you will need cataract surgery.  Technology has improved this to be a 10-minute procedure, one bottle of medicated eye drops to use for a few weeks afterward, and the option to no longer need glasses for distance or near!

All of us will develop cataracts as we age, though certain risk factors such as genetics, smoking, diabetes, high myopia, certain medications, and excessive UV exposure can increase our chances of developing them earlier in life.

Dr. John works with a local trustworthy eye surgeon and has vast experience co-managing surgery and discussing your surgical options.

Retinal Detachment

The retina is like very delicate wall paper that lines the entire inside of the eyeball. It has 9 layers and a jelly-like substance that sticks to it called the vitreous.  As we age, the vitreous changes too, which can pull on the retina and cause holes or tears to form. Some of us have areas of our retina that show signs of weakness, which means we are at higher risk for a detached retina.  

Dilating the eye and examining the retina can prevent or catch it early so that a repair prevents permanent loss of vision. Floaters will happen to everyone, it is important to have them checked as not everyone will have symptoms when they have a retinal detachment.