Common eye problems in older age

Eye problems are common in older age and can seriously affect your quality of life. Many eye conditions are treatable, and some require urgent action. Here are some of the more common eye conditions:

1. Age-related cataracts: A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the front bit of your eye. The causes are unknown. However, certain factors like smoking, overexposing your eyes to sunlight, taking steroid drugs for a long time, a history of cataracts in your family or poor diet may all play a role. When you develop cataracts, you may notice a ‘glare’ in bright light or when you drive at night and you may have difficulty differentiating objects in low light.
2. Age-related macular degeneration: This condition affects an area in the back of your eye called the macula. You’re at higher risk of developing it if, among other factors, you smoke, drink more than four units of alcohol a day or have been exposed to lots of sunlight in your life. You may find that straight edges such as bookshelves or door frames look distorted, or that your vision is generally more blurred. You may also develop blind spots. Consult your ophthalmologist for more details.
3. Chronic glaucoma: In this condition you have an increased pressure in one or both of your eyes – often caused by fluid within your eye not draining away freely. You may not notice this problem at first, but if left for too long, glaucoma may permanently affect your vision (which is why the condition is known as ‘the thief of sight’).
4. Diabetes: Too much sugar in your blood can lead to chronic eye problems, with damage to the back of your eye (called diabetic retinopathy) being an important one.
5. Dry eyes: In dry eye syndrome (or keratoconjunctivitis sicca), your tears drain away or evaporate too fast. You may notice grittiness, tearing of your eyes and redness. We don’t know what causes dry eyes, but ageing, hormonal changes, illnesses and medicines are all thought to play a role. 

If you suffer from eye problems, consulting your eye specialist is usually best. Seek medical advice immediately if you notice any of these symptoms:

• You suddenly lose your vision fully or partially.
• You have a headache in addition to any visual symptoms.
• You can’t think straight in connection with your eye problem.
• You have a painful eye at the same time as loss of vision.