If you've gone through life with little to no vision defects, chances are you don't see an eye doctor as part of your regular health care plan. However, if you're getting on in your years, you might want to change that going forward. People with aging eyes face significant conditions that can be easily treated by seeing an eye doctor, but without care, they could pose significant risks to your vision. Here are three of the most common among them.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a very common problem with the aging populace. Glaucoma is caused by an excess of pressure in the eyes, which can either be due to medications you're taking or the simple aging process. Excess pressure in the eyes can cause permanent vision defects, but if you see an eye doctor about it you can be treated with medication that will control the excess eye pressure. This will ensure your vision stays healthy, and you can continue to see clearly in the years to come.
Cataracts
Cataracts are another common problem the aging populace faces. In fact, most people will go through cataracts at some point in their lives.
Cataracts are the natural clouding process of the lens on the surface of the eye. Without treatment, cataracts can cause your vision to blur, make it difficult to see, and even cause blindness. However, even advanced cataracts can be treated by an eye doctor. By surgically removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial one, you can see as clearly as you used to years ago with no further treatment necessary.
Macular Degeneration
Lastly, while it won't happen to everyone, macular degeneration is another problem that many people face. This is because macular degeneration tends to be triggered by a lifetime of exposure to blue light and UV rays, which are emitted by electronics and the sun, respectively.
While the damage to your eyes can't be undone once it's happened, like the other conditions on this list, macular degeneration can be treated. However, it's extraordinarily important that you're treated in a timely manner. Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of full blindness in the elderly, so it's not something you want overlooked.
If you haven't seen an eye doctor ever or in a long time, then it might be time to make a call. Get in touch with an ophthalmologist to learn more about the health of your eyes.
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