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Your eyes are your body's most highly developed sensory organs. In fact, a far larger part of your brain is dedicated to the functions of eyesight than to those of hearing, taste, touch or smell. We tend to take eyesight for granted, yet when vision problems develop, most of us will do everything in our power to restore our most precious eyesight to normal."
A common lament voiced by many of our "40-ish" patients is that they would be able to see better if their arms were just a bit longer. They make this statement because many of them are beginning to experience a blurring of vision when trying to read or to see other "close" objects. By holding the material at arms length, the patient can often see the material more clearly. This problem is caused by a common vision condition known as presbyopia that affects almost all individuals by the time they reach the age of 50. Presbyopia is not a disease, but a natural part of the aging process. The term presbyopia refers to the gradual and normal decline in the eyes focusing ability. This decline begins early in life, yet it is between the ages of 40 and 50 that it generally reaches a point where vision at the usual reading distance starts to become blurry and difficult. Although it may seem to develop suddenly, presbyopia has been progressing since you were about ten years old. Over the past thirty years or so, your eyes have gradually been losing their ability to focus. Of course, this loss has been so small that it has been barely noticeable to you. When the amount of focusing loss reaches a certain point, however, further changes are much more noticeable and seem more rapid. These are the changes that occur during your forties. Presbyopia can be treated by prescribing corrective lenses to compensate for the loss in focusing ability. We will suggest reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals, or contact lenses, depending on your vision needs. Unfortunately presbyopia cannot be stopped and periodic lens changes may be necessary as it progresses. At about age 65 or 70, however, the problem sometimes stabilizes and the need for lens changes may be less frequent.
are tiny spots or specks that float across the field of vision. Most people notice them in well-lit rooms or outdoors on a bright day. Floaters often are normal, but sometimes they warn of eye problems such as retinal detachment, especially if they happen with light flashes. If you notice a sudden change in the type or number of spots or flashes, see your eye doctor
happen when tear glands don’t make enough tears or make poor quality tears. Dry tears can be uncomfortable, causing itching, burning, or even some loss of vision. Your eye doctor may suggest using a humidifier in the home or special eye drops ("artificial tears"). Surgery may be needed for more serious cases of dry eyes.
,or having too many tears, can come from being sensitive to light, wind, or temperature changes. Protecting your eyes (by wearing sunglasses, for instance) sometimes solves the problem. Tearing may also mean that you have a more serious problem, such as an eye infection or a blocked tear duct. Your eye doctor can treat or correct both of these conditions. If you are experiencing this or any other problems, make an appointment with your optometrist.Key Benefits
There are a number of other important issues that as an optometrist I am trained to look for. Don't take chances with your vision. Wanna take an online eye test?
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