Thursday, May 06, 2010
EYE, EYE, EYE -- is this Middle Age?
Our eyes change over time and nearly everyone who has reached middle age uses some kind of vision correction.
Things to be aware of:
The Retina becomes less light senstive and therefore, you need more light to see as well. Brighter lights in your work area or next to your chair while reading will help bring the printed words into clearer focus. I need readers when inside, but the outside light will allow me to see printing without glasses.
The Lens of the eye becomes less elastic. Thus the printed words are not as clear as they used to be. This makes it tough for the eyes to focus as agiley as in your younger days. Reading glasses or bi-focals will help see more clearly and even a magnifying glass will bring the smallest of print into focus.
The Lens starts to become more cloudy as we age. That makes it harder to see colors with the same vibrancy as we used to see them. Night vision may be reduced - the glare from headlights at night may really bother you. Sunlight hitting slick pavement (rain covered roads) may glare more than normal. Polarized sun glasses can help during the daylight. You may want to reduce night driving if it becomes too difficult to see.
Your eyes may feel dry because tear glands have lost some of their ability to produce moisture, an essential in keeping your eyes properly lubricated. Artificial tear drops can help with the discomfort. Computer usage may also contribute to eye dryness - there is a name for this "computer vision symdrome".
Make a few small changes in your work habits such as:
I have had this problem for some time. When I enter a dark room or am driving at night it is like a laser light show is going on. The peripheral vision has flashing lights going on and is very distracting. These come into your field of vision because your vitreous, the part of the eye that connects to the retina, begins to shrink with age - as early as your forties. The floaters and flashers are distracting and bothersome, but you can learn to ignore them without too much trouble. If you see a sudden, startling increase in the number of dots and flashes, however, see your eye care professional. This can indicate a partial detachment of the retina.
Things to be aware of:
The Retina becomes less light senstive and therefore, you need more light to see as well. Brighter lights in your work area or next to your chair while reading will help bring the printed words into clearer focus. I need readers when inside, but the outside light will allow me to see printing without glasses.
The Lens of the eye becomes less elastic. Thus the printed words are not as clear as they used to be. This makes it tough for the eyes to focus as agiley as in your younger days. Reading glasses or bi-focals will help see more clearly and even a magnifying glass will bring the smallest of print into focus.
The Lens starts to become more cloudy as we age. That makes it harder to see colors with the same vibrancy as we used to see them. Night vision may be reduced - the glare from headlights at night may really bother you. Sunlight hitting slick pavement (rain covered roads) may glare more than normal. Polarized sun glasses can help during the daylight. You may want to reduce night driving if it becomes too difficult to see.
Your eyes may feel dry because tear glands have lost some of their ability to produce moisture, an essential in keeping your eyes properly lubricated. Artificial tear drops can help with the discomfort. Computer usage may also contribute to eye dryness - there is a name for this "computer vision symdrome".
Make a few small changes in your work habits such as:
- Keep the computer screen 20-24 inches from your eyes.
- Keep the top of the computer screen slightly below eye level.
- Minimize the distance between your computer screen and any documents you use while working.
- Use drops to soothe irritated, dry eyes.
- Adjust the light in your work area to minimize glare on the screen.
- Take a break every 15 minutes to focus on an object in the distance.
- Blink frequently (not hard to do when your eyes are watering like mine).
I have had this problem for some time. When I enter a dark room or am driving at night it is like a laser light show is going on. The peripheral vision has flashing lights going on and is very distracting. These come into your field of vision because your vitreous, the part of the eye that connects to the retina, begins to shrink with age - as early as your forties. The floaters and flashers are distracting and bothersome, but you can learn to ignore them without too much trouble. If you see a sudden, startling increase in the number of dots and flashes, however, see your eye care professional. This can indicate a partial detachment of the retina.
