Remember the days when you could see traffic lights without squinting and read a book without donning a pair of reading glasses? It can be frustrating when your eyes no longer function like they used to and you have to rely on corrective lenses to see across the room.
Most people have come to accept that vision loss is simply a part of growing older. But have you ever stopped to think about why or how eyesight fades? What happens inside your eyes to make them stop working properly? Well, you’re in luck, because I have the answer to that question. Here’s what you should know about how eyesight fades and when you should worry about your vision changes.
Presbyopia
Though the name sounds like it could be serious, presbyopia is considered a normal age-related eye change. In fact, It’s the most common thing that affects peoples’ eyesight after the age of 40. It occurs when the lens of the eye begins to lose its focusing ability and can no longer focus on up-close objects quickly or easily.
You may be able to compensate for this perfectly natural decline in near-sighted vision by holding anything you’re trying to focus on a little further away from your face. As you do, you’ll likely notice that it’s not quite as difficult to focus. Eventually, though, you’ll need to head to the eye doctor or your local drug store and pick up a pair of reading glasses. You may also wish to look into different procedures to correct your presbyopia, including monovision LASIK, corneal inlays, refractive lens exchange or conductive keratoplasty.
Cataracts
Like presbyopia, cataracts are also very common in aging eyes. They are caused by a clouding of the eye’s lens and can cause everything to look hazy. Fortunately, cataract surgery is a very simple and safe procedure that can restore your vision to what it was before the cataracts formed (or even better!).
Serious Eye Conditions
Now that we’ve discussed some of the more common causes of fading eyesight, it’s time to go over more serious eye diseases that can impact your vision. They include:
Glaucoma
Macular degeneration
Diabetic retinopathy
Vitreous detachment
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