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Fact or Fiction: When the Eyes Age

fact or fiction aging eyes

During Healthy Aging Month, we’re helping to educate our community on when and how the eyes age and the steps that can be taken to protect and preserve vision. Test your knowledge with our quiz and see how much you know about the progression of eyes aging!

 

Fact or Fiction:

Cataracts develop quickly, with symptoms seemingly beginning without warning.

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Fiction! Quite the opposite, most cataracts develop slowly and do not disturb eyesight early on. Over time, as you age, cataracts will interfere with vision and cause issues. A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye, which makes it seem as if you are looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. While you cannot keep yourself from getting older, you can slow or even prevent cataracts by taking intentional steps. These include maintaining comprehensive eye exams, wearing sunglasses, maintaining a healthy weight, and seeing your eye doctor if you have any questions or concerns that arise.

 

Fact or Fiction:

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness.

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Fact! A chronic disease, AMD affects more than 10 million Americans and is the leading cause of blindness. A deterioration of the central part of the retina, there are two variations of AMD – dry and wet. The optimal way to prevent development of AMD, especially in advanced age, is through leading a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet, wearing sunglasses, and maintaining regular eye exams. Partnering with your ophthalmologist is critical to ensure you understand AMD and the best ways to prevent it as your eyes age.

 

Fact or Fiction:

According to the American Optometric Association, many adults begin to notice vision problems in their early-to-mid-50s.

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Fiction! The age when many adults begin to notice vision problems is actually early-to-mid-40s. Common vision problems at this time can include presbyopia (decreased focusing ability due to loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye), which is a progressive condition that can worsen over time without treatment. Other conditions include AMD, Cataracts, Dry Eye, and Glaucoma. While age-related eye conditions cannot necessarily be prevented, you can take steps to slow or even prevent their onset. Partnering with your ophthalmologist to understand treatment options for eye diseases is also critical to their maintenance and care.

 

Fact or Fiction:

There is currently no cure for Glaucoma, but there are treatment options to help preserve sight and quality of life.

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Fact! To date there is not a cure for Glaucoma, but symptoms can be treated with medical interventions such as oral medication, eye drops, and surgical procedures to preserve sight and quality of life. Glaucoma is a group of progressive diseases in which cells and fibers of the optic nerve are damaged, affecting the transmission of signals from the eye to the brain. Because it is a progressive condition, many people don’t notice that their vision is changing, especially early on. The best thing you can do to prevent the progression of glaucoma is to take good care of your whole body with healthy diet and exercise, and maintain annual comprehensive eye exams to detect any problems early and plan the optimal course for treatment.