Specialists estimate that 80 percent of those over 60 years of age suffer from vision problems, and the worst thing is that many of them neglect and stop taking care of themselves.
Age is one of the main risk factors for many pathologies and one of the senses that suffers the most over the years is sight.
According to data from the Visual Health Foundation and the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SEGG) estimate that 80 percent of those over 60 suffer from vision problems.
And these deficiencies, according to the SEGG:
“They affect the individual in an integral way, not only because of the risks of accidents and fallsbut also because they entail a loss in communication and in affective and social relationships that can cause the isolation of the person, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms”.
People over 65 do not take care of their visual health
The problem that vision specialists detect is that after certain ages, visual health is no longer taken care of.
Vision problems that are neither consulted nor corrected with the frequency and urgency that they require, despite the fact that, in the words of the Dr. Primitivo Ramospresident of the Madrid Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, “its incidence is alarming & rdquor ;.
The reasons for this lack of attention are diverse:
- Lack of perception of the problem. At certain ages, vision problems become normal because they are considered something inherent to the passage of time. But Luis Alfonso Garcia, general secretary of the Visual Health Foundation, recalls that “vision loss is not a normal consequence of aging.”
- Overestimation of their visual faculties. “Older people are usually not aware of their visual problems and tend to overestimate their own abilities,” says Dr. Primitivo Ramos.
In this sense, 80 percent of people over the age of 65 think they can see well without glasseswhen field studies show that between 72 and 80 percent of them need an optical correction.
- Lack of periodic reviews. It is essential that seniors have their eyes checked annually. Unfortunately, this is not usual, despite the fact that early detection of vision pathologies can prevent 50 percent of cases of blindness.
- Wearing glasses without the correct prescription. Another problem detected by specialists is that many older people use glasses that do not fit their needs. And this is simply because “they take an average of eight years without reviewing or updating the prescription of the lenses.”
In fact, only 20 percent of older people who wear glasses reach an adequate level of vision.
- Precarious economic resources. Much of the vision problems among the elderly are due to the fact that many of them do not have the necessary resources to, for example, renew glasses or undergo surgery to remove cataracts.
Taking into account all these data, the president of the Visual Health Foundation, Juan Carlos Martinez Moralesremember that “only an eye professional can detect certain changes that the person himself does not detect, even before the symptoms are evident”.
For this reason, it recommends carrying out a vision check-up for the elderly and indicating the basic guidelines for maintaining good visual health. All this in order to avoid problems as serious as blindness.
Leading causes of vision loss among the elderly
In addition to normal vision changes (presbyopia or eyestrain, decreased contrast sensitivity), with age we can experience various diseases that can potentially impair vision:
- waterfalls. It is the most common cause of reversible blindness and its prevalence increases with age, affecting more than 60 percent of those over 75 years of age.
Cataracts are usually manifested by a slow and progressive decrease in vision: it appears cloudy, out of focus or as if seeing through a veil, and it does not improve when changing glasses. In addition, the tonality of the colors is lost.
- Glaucoma. The glaucoma o Eye strain is an increase in intraocular pressure due to a lack of drainage of the aqueous humor, which produces lesions in the optic nerve with vision problems and, if not corrected in time, blindness.
Its main characteristic is the absence of symptoms. Therefore, this disease is one of the main causes of blindness in developed countries. Y In our country, more than a million people over 40 years of age suffer from it.but almost half do not know it.
- Age-related macular degeneration. It is a degenerative disease that affects the center of the retina in people over 60 years of age. It is the second most common cause of blindness in the elderly, after diabetes.
Early diagnosis is essential to minimize its consequences and avoid blindness.
- Diabetic retinopathy. It is one of the many complications of diabetes. It develops very slowly and without early warning signs, but once the lesions have appeared, treatment is complex and medical follow-up must be very close.
The serious consequences of visual problems in the elderly population
The control and resolution of these visual diseases can be a turning point for the elderly.
As Dr. Primitivo Ramos explains:
“Visual limitations are associated with physical problems related to safety, which can make the person dependent. Especially if hearing problems are added.”
And it is that not seeing well increases the risk of falls.
Because cataracts and glaucoma can alter the perception of depth and space in older people, as well as their visual acuity, peripheral vision and reflexes.
This means that the person affected by these visual problems is affected by their ability to function safely in the environment, whether in their own home or on the street. This entails abundant risks and dangers in the form of accidents, falls…, which have dire consequences, such as fractures and other pathologies that can endanger life.
But, not only falls. Dr. Primitivo Ramos points out that:
- “The visual deficit has repercussions in the relational, affective and social spheres, and, in extreme cases, can lead to loneliness and to the isolation of the person, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression”.
Tips for good eye health
To avoid these and other eye problems, the Visual Health Foundation and the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology have developed a series of recommendations:
- Annual eye exam. As we have seen, some eye pathologies do not have any symptoms, so an annual check-up is the best way to detect them and avoid major problems. The revisions also allow updating the graduation of the glasses.
- wear sunglasses. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun is related to the appearance of cataracts and macular degeneration.
- protect eyes. Scratches, scrapes, or other injuries to the eye often lead to infection and scarring, which can result in some degree of vision loss. Therefore, it is advisable to wear protective glasses in risky situations, for example, when working with tools or playing contact sports.
- Monitor intraocular pressure. Elevated intraocular pressure is a risk factor for glaucoma and vision loss.
- No Smoking. Several studies link tobacco consumption with eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
- Go to regular medical check-ups. In addition to eye check-ups, it is important to go to the doctor for preventive check-ups, as well as to follow their recommendations in order to reduce cholesterol levels, lose weight or detect diabetes in time, which are decisive issues in visual status.
- Practice physical exercise regularly. This habit helps control blood pressure, diabetes and the correct weight, which will influence general health and also eye health.
- Maintain a balanced dietintroducing large amounts of fruit, vegetables and fish into the dishes.
- Drink foods rich in carotenoids, omega 3 fatty acids Y vitamins A, B2, C, E and zinc that prevent the risk of suffering from diseases such as AMD or glaucoma.