Getting regular eye tests is important at any age, but it becomes even more important as a person gets older. There are many age-related eye conditions that can cause a person to lose his or her sight. The good news is that most of these conditions can be corrected if they are diagnosed early enough. Below are some of the signs that one\’s eye health may be in danger:

If you Have Trouble reading

The lens are the part of the eye that are responsible for focusing on images. As a person ages, the lens becoming stiffer, which makes it difficult for a person to read. Additionally, people who have difficulty reading may also have another serious eye condition, such as diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that decreases the blood flow to the retina. As a result of this, the retina is deprived of oxygen. The macula is the part of the retina that is responsible for direct vision. Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that causes a person\’s central vision to deteriorate.

Seeing in Double Vision

Seeing things in very blurred “double” vision is a sign that a person may have cataracts. Cataracts cause the lens to cloud and shrink. It is also important to note that double vision may also indicate another serious health problem such as stroke, high blood pressure, brain tumour and meningitis.

If you Keep Needing Frequent Changes in Prescription

Whilst it’s is normal for a person\’s vision to change as he or she gets older and to need stronger and stronger prescriptions, if this change is very rapid – i.e. your sight deteriorates very soon after being prescribed a new pair of lenses – or happens when you are still young then this could signal wider problems. Frequent changes in prescription are an indication that one\’s eyesight is changing for the worse.

If you Suffer From Poor night vision

The pupil is the part of the eye that is responsible for letting light in. In order for the pupil to let light in, it has to dilate (expand). The pupils to tend to dilate less as a person gets older. Additionally, cataracts can also reduce the amount of light that a person gets in his or her eyes.

If you See Shadows, Stars or Other Non Existent Objects

If a person sees shadows or stars that aren’t there, that indicates that his or her retina is either torn or detached. A detached retina can result in permanent vision loss if it is not corrected immediately.

These are some of the problems that can be caught early and resolved by visiting the optician. This is not meant to scare you, only to highlight that the best way to prevent vision loss is to see an optometrist on a regular basis. Many people have suffered permanent vision loss because they failed to get the treatment that they needed. Surgery, prescription glasses and medications are just a few of the many treatment options available for correcting vision problems.

Georgia Waters writes regularly on eye health and fashion related topics such as prescription glasses.

Georgia Waters writes regularly on eye health and fashion related topics such as prescription glasses: http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/

Author Bio: Georgia Waters writes regularly on eye health and fashion related topics such as prescription glasses.

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