Diagnosis And Treatment Of Age-Related Eye Diseases
Seniors are more likely to develop age-related eye diseases than younger individuals. As you age, it is important that you visit your eye care center for regular examinations by your optometrist. When age-related eye diseases are recognized and treated early on, you will be less likely to develop vision loss. Here are some ways your eye doctor can diagnose and treat age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
Diagnosing Cataracts and Glaucoma
Your eye doctor can diagnose cataracts simply through a routine eye examination. When the natural lens of your eye becomes opaque or cloudy, it is called a cataract. If you have cataracts, you may also experience blurred or dim vision, and when you look at colors, they may appear dull and not vibrant.
Glaucoma is another age-related eye disease, and while it can affect your central vision, the vision that is involved when looking straight ahead, it typically affects your peripheral vision, otherwise known as your side vision.
Your eye doctor will perform a tonometry test on your eyes, which will evaluate your intraocular pressure, which is otherwise known as eye pressure. If your eye pressure is high and if you have peripheral vision deficits, you may have glaucoma. In addition to elevated eye pressure, a severe type of glaucoma known as acute-angle glaucoma can also cause severe eye pain, excessive tearing, and headaches.
Treatment Options
Conservative treatment for mild cataract formation may include a change in your eyeglasses prescription. Stronger glasses can help improve your vision, however, once your cataracts progress, an increase in your eyeglass prescription may be ineffective in improving your visual function. Because of this, your eye doctor may recommend surgery to remove your cataracts. During surgery, your natural lenses will be removed and replaced with plastic intraocular lens implants.
Both open-angle and acute-angle glaucoma are typically treated with beta-blocker eye drops, which help lower your eye pressure. While eye drops are usually effective in managing glaucoma, they may be ineffective for some patients. For them, laser surgery may be recommended to help intraocular fluid drain more effectively, which will help keep their eye pressure from getting too high.
If you experience blurred, dim, or double vision, or if you develop eye pain, decreased side vision, eye redness, or excessive tearing, make an appointment with your eye doctor. After a comprehensive dilated pupil examination, a diagnosis will be made and your doctor will determine the best treatment option for you.
Contact a local eye care center to learn more about this topic.