You have your yearly physical with your medical doctor, but when was your last eye exam? Attention to your overall health should include vision care. Normal aging can cause changes that affect your eyesight. Experiencing more difficulty reading the newspaper, needing more light to see well, or noticing the inability to see curbs or steps may be changes experienced in the aging eye. These are some common causes of age-related vision loss which can be detected with regular eye exams, so that problems can be detected and treated early. Below are five tips from the National Institute of Aging for protecting your eyesight as you age.

1. Visit an eye care professional every one or two years. Eye drops that enlarge (dilate) the pupils are needed to help find certain eye diseases. Old glasses should also be checked for accuracy.
2. Know the facts about your health history to determine if you are at high risk for eye diseases. Some risks involve being over age 65, African-American and over age 40, or having family members with diabetes or other eye diseases. If any of these risks exists, request a dilated eye exam.
3. Schedule regular visits with your family physician to check for diabetes and high blood pressure.
4. Be aware of changes in your vision such as the sudden inability to see, the visual effects of everything appearing dim, or seeing flashes of light. Other symptoms include eye pain, double vision, fluid seeping from the eye, redness, or swelling of your eyelid.
5. When outside, remember to wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation. This protection can help fight against the development of cataracts. A wide brim hat is also advised to help block the sun’s rays.

It is important to know that glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and often times has no early symptoms; regular eye exams are so important for preserving your vision. For more information about common eye problems, eye diseases, and low vision consult your local eye care professional.

Source: National Institute on Aging