Our Optical Health As We Age

Your Optical Questions Answered 

by Joel C. Wolf Licensed Optician and owner of Village Opticians

Why does eyesight deteriorate as we age?   With age, the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects. Although we don’t know with certainty the exact mechanics of this process, it is commonly believed that a loss of elasticity of the lens is mainly responsible. This, in addition to the loss of power in the muscles that bend and straighten the lens, are what seem to be responsible for the progressive deterioration of our focusing ability as we age. Like gray hair and wrinkles, this is a symptom caused by the natural course of aging. Some of the first signs we might notice are eyestrain, difficulty seeing in dim light, problems focusing on small objects and/or fine print. We usually start to notice these things between the ages of 40 and 50. The ability to focus on near objects declines throughout life, from the ability to focus at 2 inches away in a child, to 4 inches at age 25 and levels off at about 3 feet at age 60.

 What causes my eyes to change color as I age?    This happens in 10 to 15 percent of those people who generally have lighter eye colors.                                                                                                                                                    Pigment in the iris gives the eye it’s color. Eye color can lighten if the number of pigment granules   decrease. The eye can also lose color if the pigment degrades. Eyes, unlike skin and hair, do not synthesize color pigment continuously. Instead, eyes retain the pigment granules and accumulate them in the eye. So, if the pigment degrades, the eye color lightens. If your adult eye color changes pretty dramatically, or if one eye changes from brown to green or blue to brown it's important to see your eye doctor. Eye color changes can be a warning sign of certain diseases.

Can my medical prescriptions be affecting my eyes?                                                                 Some medications can cause vision problems such as dry eyes or sensitivity to light. When taking a medication, be sure to tell your doctor about any vision problems. Catching problems early can prevent permanent damage to your eyesight. In some cases, your doctor may want to monitor your eyesight while you take a medication. Below are 4 types of drugs that may cause vision side effects. This list is not comprehensive, so if you have any questions about a drug you take, be sure to talk with your doctor.   

Antihistamines-In some people, these drugs can cause an emergency condition called angle-closure glaucoma, which occurs when the pressure inside the eye increases rapidly. Symptoms include headache, severe eye pain, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and seeing halos around lights.                                                                                                                             Corticosteroids-Prednisone can increase a patient's risk of developing cataract or glaucoma.                                                                                                   Erectile Dysfunction Drugs- Men taking these drugs for erectile dysfunction (ED) have reported blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and seeing a temporary blue tinge to objects. Commercials for these drugs also warn of sudden vision loss, which may or may not be associated with the medicines.                                                                                                                                 Flomax- This medication builds up in the iris of the eye. This can prevent the pupil from dilating and it can also cause complications during cataract surgery.

As always I hope I have enlightened a few of you as well as provided some interesting dinner conversation topics. Please feel free to stop by the office with any questions you might want addressed.