Like the remainder of your body, your eyes naturally change throughout your life. Unfortunately, many individuals are usually not aware of their eye care and sometimes neglect to go to an ophthalmologist for routine eye examinations as they age.
Aging brings about many eye changes that have to be monitored. Here are 4 common eye conditions that may develop with age:
Cataracts. This lens cloud often develops slowly over a few years. You may not notice the cloud until it blocks your central line of sight and affects your vision.
Glaucoma Over time, the back of every eye can shrink in some people—for instance, those with small eyes and farsightedness. A narrowing can result in obstruction of the aqueous humor drainage system near the iris. The resulting fluid backup could cause a sudden increase in pressure contained in the eye that damages the optic nerve, a condition referred to as angle-closure glaucoma. If left untreated, it might probably cause blindness.
Another type of glaucoma, called open-angle glaucoma, occurs when pressure in the attention slowly builds up due to a distinct problem: the slow outflow of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork. As in angle-closure glaucoma, the resulting build-up of pressure contained in the eye can damage the optic nerve, resulting in blindness if left untreated.
Age-related macular degeneration. As the retina ages, it might grow to be less sensitive to light on account of lack of cells, decreased blood supply, or degeneration. The macula is especially vulnerable to damage. Age-related macular degeneration is a serious disease that may steal an individual's central vision, making it difficult to read, write or drive.
Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes is a disease by which blood sugar levels are high since the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or the body's cells grow to be proof against insulin. In each cases, sugar builds up within the bloodstream and may damage blood vessels and organs throughout the body—including the eyes.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels that feed the retina grow to be inflamed, or when latest blood vessels form, causing bleeding within the retina or retina. If not treated in time, this condition can result in blindness.
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