How your eyesight changes – Adulthood
We all know how busy life can be, especially in your mid-forties, but that’s no reason for you to ignore the health of your eyes. Statistics show that 65% of those with visual impairment and 82% of those blind are over 50 years old. Adults normally shrug off any eye discomfort they’re feeling, thus giving time the luxury of elevating this discomfort into an infection or eye problem. It’s a known fact that in adulthood your eyesight nears the edge of its once pristine condition but as you grow older, being careless when it comes to your eye health will only raise the chances of you getting an eye disease.
What happens to your eyesight as you age?
Right now, your visual acuity is still present but there’s a definite struggle when it comes to seeing things from far away. You might notice how your usual morning newspaper is a tad harder to read unless you pull it closer to your face. Requiring close proximity when reading or using the computer is a sign of losing your eye’s near-vision focus. Adults experience visual difficulties like this because of the hardening of the eye’s natural lens, which is called Presbyopia. Changing your prescription glasses to bifocal or multifocal lenses can correct near-vision issues.
Visual accuracy, in general, starts to wane as you reach your late 40s. This stems from the simple fact that our eyes age with us. Age-based changes in eyesight can be any of the following: failing to see at close distances, difficulty in differentiating colors, increased need for ample lighting, eye glare problems when driving, and producing fewer natural tears. Religiously using eye drops is a good solution if your eyes tend to dry up easily. Adults can also wear a specific type of eye glass that caters to their own visual impairment. For poor vision, you can wear prescription glasses and for colorblindness, there are EnChroma glasses.
Eye problems at 40 and up could come from previous family health conditions which can ultimately affect your eyes. High blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can root from hereditary illnesses. These illnesses have the ability to amplify certain eye problems, like diabetes to glaucoma. If you already harbour diabetes, it doubles your chances of getting glaucoma which can lead to vision loss if not treated early. This only stresses that you should. Pill medication can also play a part in vision problems because they may possess visual side effects.
To keep your eyes healthy in this fragment of your life, there are preventive measures you can still catch up on. Scheduling check-ups with your eye doctor at least every two years can prevent visual problems from persisting. Consider LASIK surgery if it’s necessary to further improve the well-being of your eyes. Create small eye care habits and always wear corrective eyewear to maintain your eyesight at its best. The pursuit of a healthy lifestyle is often undermined but its fruits will bear in the long run and will let you confidently live life to the fullest.
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