Vision problems: don’t wait too long

Perfect visual acuity means a person can see well both near and far As people age, their vision tends to diminish somewhat Brighter lighting may be needed to read, sew or do crafts While this may be a normal phenomenon, reduced vision may become disabling for reading the newspaper, or even dangerous, particularly when driving That is why it is worthwhile to have your vision checked regularly

The most common visual problem is presbyopia, which affects practically everyone from the age of 40 to 50 years, Presbyopia is due to the ageing of the lens of the eye, which makes it difficult to see near items.

Reading glasses are then needed As well, certain eye conditions can cause age-related vision loss, including cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration There are specific treatments for each of these conditions It is important to identify and take care of them before they worsen

If you have not had a recent eye exam, consulting an ophthalmologist or your doctor will help you identify what options can be considered to improve your vision.

Of course, it is also recommended that you consult a professional when you have symptoms such as difficulty in estimating distances, blurred vision or loss of colour vision, increased sensitivity to light, flashes or spots in the visual field People with diabetes should, in any case, have an annual examination by an ophthalmologist

Cataracts» Do you sometimes feel like you have a veil in front of your eyes? Are you sometimes blinded by car headlights or bright lights? If so, this may be due to a cataract. Cataracts are caused by a clouding of the lens of the eye They are not painful and may be due to ageing or aggravated by certain diseases, such as diabetes Cataracts may occur in either or both eyes, and they affect almost everyone over the age of 85 to 90 years.

 Cataracts are treated by replacing the lens of the eye with a kind of small transparent lens called an implant, during a short procedure under local anesthetic.

Glaucoma Do you sometimes feel that you don’t see as well to the sides?

This could be a sign of glaucoma. Sometimes, glaucoma sets in aggressively The eye becomes red and very painful, with a significant loss of vision, and immediate intervention is required Much more often, glaucoma is linked to a painless increase in pressure within the eye, which may go unnoticed In the long term, this may cause irreversible loss of vision, so it is important to have your eye pressure regularly checked. Drug or laser treatment can slow or halt the progression of the disease

 Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Do you sometimes have the impression that lines are wavy instead of straight?

This could indicate macular degeneration, which changes your vision like in the photo below. AMDT is a disease, the causes of which are still relatively unknown, affects about one in ten people after the age of 80 years At first, vision could be slightly blurred and straight lines may sometimes appear wavy, then the loss of vision in the centre of the visual field worsens, making it increasingly difficult to read, recognize faces and accomplish daily tasks Even with all the efforts made in recent years, treatment remains limited for certain forms of the disease But macular degeneration may be treated effectively in some cases, which is why it is important to detect it on time, in order to limit the loss of vision