There are many elderly people who have vision conditions. Sometimes, these happen quickly and other conditions take time to develop. As a family caregiver, learning about the various vision conditions that your elderly loved one might have can help you to know when they are experiencing issues with their eyesight. If you do notice any of the issues noted below, make sure you or a senior home care provider take them to see an eye doctor.
Developing Presbyopia
One of the vision conditions that many family caregivers have never hear of is presbyopia. This condition happens because of aging. It is also known as farsightedness. Some things that you or home care providers may notice with your elderly loved one if they have this condition include:
- Get eyestrain or headaches after they read
- Can’t read smaller print well or at all
- Need to have a bright light on when they are reading
If your elderly loved one experiences these issues, schedule them an appointment with an eye doctor. They may need to have glasses.
Experiencing Floaters
Another common vision condition that many elderly people have is floaters. These can happen for a range of reasons. However, aging is one of the most common reasons. Floaters aren’t particularly damaging to a person’s vision, however, they can be annoying. With that being said, in some cases, floaters can cause retina problems. If your elderly loved one tells you or a senior home care provider that they are seeing dots, flashes, or static in their line of sight, you should have them see their eye doctor.
Having Cataracts
Your elderly loved one might develop cataracts, as well. One of the most common symptoms of this condition is having cloudy vision. If your elderly loved one has this condition, they may experience the following:
- Cloudy vision
- Double vision
- Sees yellow colors (spots, dots, or lines) in their vision
- Has light sensitivity
Make sure you have your elderly loved one see an eye doctor if they have any of the symptoms mentioned here today.
Conclusion
These are some of the most common vision conditions in senior citizens. As a family caregiver, if your elderly loved one or their senior home care providers tell you about these symptoms, make sure you have them see an eye doctor. The sooner they get treatment, such as glasses or eye surgery, the better chances there will be of improving their vision. If, at any time, your elderly loved one loses their vision completely or feel their vision is severely impaired suddenly, you may want to get them emergency medical treatment.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/presbyopia
https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/senior-years#1
