Why Should Your Elderly Loved One Get Yearly Eye Exams?
Elderly adults often don’t realize why it is so important for them to get an eye exam every year. If they have glasses and they can still see fairly well, they think everything is good to go. However, going to the eye doctor is more than just getting the vision test. As people get older, they could experience more eye issues. Having an annual eye exam done could help catch problems while they are smaller and prevent them from getting bigger. In addition, eye exams can help to catch other health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Cataracts
Many elderly adults don’t realize that their risk of getting cataracts increases as they get older. Cataracts that go untreated could cause vision loss. If your elderly loved one is experiencing foggy vision and light sensitivity, they should schedule an eye appointment right away. Their eye doctor might be able to correct cataracts with an outpatient procedure.
Glaucoma
Another eye issue that could occur for your elderly loved one is glaucoma. This is when pressure builds up in one’s eye. It can cause optic nerve damage, loss of peripheral vision, or complete vision loss. The problem is that there aren’t early warning signs to catch glaucoma. This is why an annual eye exam is important. Your loved one’s eye doctor could catch glaucoma early on, instead of later after the progression of the disease.
Diabetic Retinopathy
According to the CDC, diabetic retinopathy is the main cause of blindness for adults. This is another one of the vision issues that doesn’t have any early symptoms. The condition is caused by blood vessel damage to the eye’s retina. The damage causes the eye to swell and leak out fluids. Having an annual eye exam done can allow the doctor to dilate your loved one’s eyes and check for signs of diabetic retinopathy.
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Many people know that there is a link between kidney or heart issues and hypertension. However, most people are unaware that hypertension also causes damage to one’s vision. Since many elderly adults don’t even know they have high blood pressure levels, it goes untreated. If not treated, the blood vessels in one’s eye can become damaged. This damage can cause swelling and bleeding in the eye. If your loved one gets an annual eye exam, the doctor can catch this condition early on.
Cognitive Decline
Some studies show that there is a connection between cognitive decline and eye changes. Getting your elderly loved one an annual eye exam can detect any changes in their vision early on and detect possible cognitive decline, as well. This way your loved one’s doctors are able to slow down the symptoms associated with these health issues.
These are some of the most common reasons why your loved one should get an annual eye exam. If your elderly loved one hasn’t had an eye exam yet this year, call their eye doctor today. You or their home care provider can take them to the appointment.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care in Beverly Hills, CA please contact the caring staff at Around the Clock Home Services today at (310) 940-0191.
Sources
https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts
https://www.cdc.gov/features/diabetic-retinopathy/index.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK402367/
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