Download rites of sight - American Optometric Association

RITES OF SIGHT
Slide #1: Today, I’m here to talk about vision – specifically - how vision changes as
you age.
Slide #2: We can experience vision changes at any age – even as children and
young adults. However, most everyone will have changes occurring in their early to
mid-forties.
Slide #3: One of the most common vision changes that people usually begin to
notice in their early to mid-forties is that their arms aren’t long enough. For example,
you may have trouble reading a menu in a dimly lit restaurant.
Loss of clarity when reading or doing close work
Sensitivity to light
More time required to adjust to different light conditions
These are all indicators that your vision is changing. And, the official name for the
loss of clarity when reading or doing close work is presbyopia.
Slide #4: We all recognize the man in the drawing. It is, of course, Benjamin
Franklin. Mr. Franklin was presbyopic and; although he was not an optometrist – he
is credited with inventing bifocals. Bifocals are one form of treatment for presbyopia.
Slide #5: Presbyopia is a natural age-related vision condition in which the
crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus
on close objects.
While this condition may seem to occur suddenly, the actual loss of flexibility takes
place over a number of years. By the time you reach your teenage years, the eye
has stopped growing; however, the cells in the flexible lens of the eye continue to
grow. This is what makes the lens less flexible. Because it is less flexible, the lens
then loses its ability to change focus. As I mentioned before, presbyopia usually
becomes noticeable in the early to mid-40s. It is not a disease, and it cannot be
prevented.
Some signs of presbyopia include the tendency to hold reading materials at arm's
length, blurred vision at normal reading distance and eye fatigue along with
headaches when doing close work.
Slide #6: Most of these changes can be treated by your optometrist a variety of
ways: reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals and progressive addition lenses are the
most common forms of treatment.
Let’s take a moment to discuss some common vision conditions:
Slide #7: Astigmatism is a vision condition that causes blurred vision due either to
the irregular shape of the cornea, which is the clear front cover of the eye, or
sometimes the curvature of the lens inside the eye. This results in light rays failing to
meet at a focal point resulting in blurred vision.
Slide #8: Hyperopia – also referred to as farsightedness – is a vision condition in
which distant objects are usually seen clearly, but close ones do not come into
proper focus. Farsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too short or the cornea has too
little curvature, so light entering your eye is not focused correctly.
Slide #9: Myopia – or nearsightedness – is a vision condition in which near objects
are seen clearly, but distant objects do not come into proper focus. Nearsightedness
occurs if your eyeball is too long or the cornea has too much curvature, so the light
entering your eye is not focused correctly.
Slide #10: Occasionally, you may see spots or floaters in your eyes. In most cases,
these are actually shadowy images of particles floating in the fluid that fills the inside
of the eye. Although they can be bothersome, spots and floaters are usually
harmless and typically do not risk vision. They are another natural part of the eye's
aging process. Keep in mind, if you suddenly see more floaters than normal, and
they are accompanied by bright, flashing lights, that may be a warning sign of
impending retinal detachment—a tear of the retina. This should be treated
immediately to prevent serious loss of vision.
Slide #11: Now, let’s turn our attention to age-related eye diseases.
Slide #12: Cataracts occur when cells in the lens swell and cloud the lens which
prevents light reaching the retina. It is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear
lens of the eye. Depending upon its size and location, it can interfere with normal
vision. Most cataracts develop in people over age 55, but they occasionally occur in
infants and young children. Usually cataracts develop in both eyes, but one may be
worse than the other.
The treatment of cataracts is based on the level of visual impairment they cause.
If a cataract affects vision only minimally, or not at all, no treatment may be needed.
Patients may be advised to monitor for increased visual symptoms and follow a
regular check-up schedule.
In some cases, a change in eyeglass prescription may provide temporary
improvement in visual acuity. Increasing the amount of light used when reading may
also be beneficial. And, the use of anti-glare coatings on clear lenses can help
reduce glare for night driving.
When a cataract progresses to the point that it affects a person's ability to do normal
everyday tasks, surgery may be needed. Cataract surgery involves removing the
lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. The artificial lens requires no
care and can significantly improve vision. New artificial lens options include those
that simulate the natural focusing ability of a young healthy lens.
Slide #13: Diabetic retinopathy is a condition occurring in persons with diabetes,
which causes progressive damage to the retina, the light sensitive lining at the back
of the eye. It is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy is the result of damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the
retina. They leak blood and other fluids that cause swelling of retinal tissue and
clouding of vision. The condition usually affects both eyes.
Early stages may cause blurred vision, or may produce no visual symptoms at all.
As the disease progresses, symptoms may include cloudiness of vision, blind spots
or floaters.
Slide #14: The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop
diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness.
Once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent. For those with
diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is controllable by taking prescribed medications as
instructed, sticking to a diet, exercising regularly, reducing high blood pressure and
avoiding alcohol and smoking.
Slide #15: Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders leading to progressive damage to
the optic nerve, and is characterized by loss of nerve tissue resulting in loss of
vision. The optic nerve is a bundle of about one million individual nerve fibers and
transmits the visual signals from the eye to the brain. The most common form of
glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, is associated with an increase in the fluid
pressure inside the eye. This increase in pressure may cause progressive damage
to the optic nerve and loss of nerve fibers. Vision loss may result. Advanced
glaucoma may even cause blindness. Not everyone with high eye pressure will
develop glaucoma, and many people with normal eye pressure will develop
glaucoma. When the pressure inside an eye is too high for that particular optic nerve,
whatever that pressure measurement may be, glaucoma will develop.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S. It most often occurs
in people over age 40, although a congenital or infantile form of glaucoma exists.
People with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans over the age of 40, and
Hispanics over the age of 60 are at an increased risk of developing glaucoma. Other
risk factors include thinner corneas, chronic eye inflammation, and using medications
that increase the pressure in the eyes.
Slide #16: Ocular hypertension is an increase in the pressure in your eyes that is
above the range considered normal with no detectable changes in vision or damage
to the structure of your eyes. The term is used to distinguish people with elevated
pressure from those with glaucoma.
This vision condition can occur in people of all ages, but it occurs more frequently in
African Americans, those over age 40 and those with family histories of ocular
hypertension and/or glaucoma. It is also more common in those who are very
nearsighted or who have diabetes.
Slide #17: Ocular hypertension has no noticeable signs or symptoms. While not all
people with ocular hypertension will develop glaucoma, there is an increased risk of
glaucoma.
And, there is no cure. However, careful monitoring and treatment can decrease the
risk of damage to the eyes. Your doctor of optometry can check the pressure in your
eyes and can examine the inner structures of your eyes to assess your overall eye
health.
Slide #18: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in America. It
results from changes to the macula, a portion of the retina that is responsible for
clear, sharp vision, and is located at the back of the eye.
Some common symptoms are a gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly,
distorted vision, a gradual loss of color vision and a dark or empty area appearing in
the center of vision.
Slide #19: There are two forms of macular degeneration. Most people with macular
degeneration have the dry form, for which there is no known treatment. However,
recent research indicates certain vitamins and minerals may help prevent or slow the
progression of macular degeneration. The less common wet form may respond to
laser procedures, if diagnosed and treated early. Unfortunately, central vision that is
lost to macular degeneration cannot be restored. Low vision devices such as
telescopic and microscopic lenses can be prescribed to make the most out of
remaining vision.
Slide #20: It is important to have regular comprehensive eye exams throughout
your life. After age 60, the American Optometric Association recommends adults to
have a comprehensive eye exam every year. For those who are considered ‘at risk’
for age-related eye diseases, your optometrist may recommend eye exams more
frequently.
Slide #21: There are important benefits to regular eye care, because some eye
diseases may not exhibit symptoms until vision is already lost! 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.