Senior Eye Health - Why Seniors Need to Get Their Eyes Checked
When it comes to eye care, what's good for the young is good for the elderly. While not every senior citizen has eye problems, aging poses various threats to eye health. Reports indicate that 12.2% of seniors aged 65-74 and 15.2% above 75 years have vision loss. So, how often should their eyes get checked to achieve optimum senior eye health?
Senior Citizens in Tempe and Annual Eye Checkups
Naturally, aging causes vision changes that might limit the elderly from retaining their independence and staying active. It's no wonder American adults aged 40 years and above are at a higher risk of developing vision problems, more so for senior citizens.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends an annual comprehensive eye checkup for your senior loved one. It's easy but wrong to dismiss eye challenges in seniors as 'tired' or 'old' eyes. Current technology in ophthalmology allows senior citizens and their loved ones to stay ahead of eye problems and rectify them accordingly.
When to Schedule an Eye Exam
Certain circumstances might stress the importance of a regular eye check-up for optimum senior eye health:
- Underlying health conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes
- Family history of eye problems
- Noticeable vision changes such as blackspots, cloudiness, floaters, having difficulty in reading, seeing objects, or trouble moving around
- Prescription medication that might cause vision-related side effects, such as beta blockers and antidepressants
- Post-eye surgery checkups
- Just to have your questions answered by an ophthalmologist
Importance of Regular Eye Checkups for Seniors in Tempe
Annual eye checkups diagnose certain eye disorders that are most common in the elderly:
- Cataracts - characterized by cloudy or opaque eye lenses disrupting optimal vision.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) - affects the elderly's light-sensitive retinas causing loss of central vision.
- Diabetic Retinopathy - occurs in people with diabetes and causes swelling in the retinal tissue and cloud vision due to leaking blood and other fluids resulting from progressive damage to retinal blood vessels.
- Dry eyes
- Glaucoma - a collection of diseases that damages the optic nerve leading to severe vision loss and total blindness
- Retinal Detachment - happens when the retina tears or separates from the underlying tissue, causing permanent blindness if untreated.
These eye checkups can unearth other health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.
8 Protips on Eye Care for Seniors
Persons over the age of 65 still want to maintain an active and vibrant lifestyle whenever possible. Walk their pets, dance, host great dinner parties, and more. For that, consider these tips for senior eye health:
- Attend regular eye checkups from a certified ophthalmologist. If your senior can't make the trip or prefer the privacy of their home, find an ophthalmologist that can make a house call
- Create an environment that lowers the risk of eye injuries at home, such as having slip and trip-free mats and rugs
- Prepare them healthy and well-balanced meals
- Avoid drugs and substance use, including smoking and moderate alcohol intake
- Ensure they get enough sleep and breaks from screens
- Exercise to boost blood and oxygen supply to the eyes
- Adequate indoor lighting
- Eye protection by wearing your prescription glasses or sunglasses to protect from direct sunlight
Being proactive in your elderly loved one's eye care is significant in prolonging and maintaining healthy vision even if they have pre-existing health conditions.
We Can Help
An annual eye check-up for seniors should be embedded in their in-home care. Senior Helpers Tempe ensures your senior loved ones in Chandler, Arcadia, Biltmore, and the surrounding areas get the eye care they need to lead a healthy ad active lifestyle. Contact us today to learn more about senior eye health tips and our home care services.