professional is not visited yearly . As the condition progresses , symptoms may include blurred vision , impaired color vision , floaters , and / or dark areas in your vision . Symptoms may occur if there is too much sugar in your blood , which can cause a blockage in the blood vessels that lead to the retina . Proper management of diabetes is the best way to prevent vision loss .
• Glaucoma : The second leading cause of blindness , glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye ’ s optic nerve . The risk of developing glaucoma increases with age and if parents or siblings have the disease . During an eye exam , glaucoma can be detected by measuring eye pressure , inspecting the drainage angle of the eye , evaluating the health of the optic nerve and testing the visual field of each eye . Depending on the type and severity of the disease , glaucoma can be treated through eye drops , medication or surgery .
• Cataracts : A cataract affects vision by clouding the lens of the eye . Chances of cataracts increase greatly with age , with more than half of all Americans either having a cataract or having had cataract surgery by the age of 80 . People in their 40s and 50s can have cataracts , but they are typically small and do not affect vision . Cataracts are detected by blurred vision , faded colors , glare from headlights or lamps , poor night vision , double vision , or frequent prescription changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses . Early detection can improve cataracts through new eyeglasses , anti-glare sunglasses or brighter lighting . Surgery can also be done to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens .
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration ( AMD ): One of the common but lesser known eye conditions is AMD . A leading cause of vision loss among people 50 years of age and older , AMD affects the macula , the millions of light-sensing cells that provide your eye with
sharp , central vision . Age is a major risk factor for developing AMD , with most cases occurring after the age of 60 . Genetics , race , and smoking can also affect risk for AMD . A comprehensive eye exam can detect it through dilation and testing . Your eye care professional will look for yellow deposits beneath the retina to determine whether you have AMD . Intermediate and late AMD can be treated with daily intake of vitamins and minerals that can slow the progression of the disease . Therapy and surgery can also be considered for types of advanced neovascular AMD , which typically results in severe vision loss , to stop further progression .
Hearing Loss and Prevention
It is common for hearing loss to occur as you age . According to the Mayo Clinic , about 25 percent of people in the United States between the ages of 55 and 64 have some degree of hearing loss , increasing to one in two people by age 65 and older .
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MILLCREEK ❘ WINTER 2021 45