Our eyes are windows to the world, offering a constant stream of vibrant colours, intricate details, and cherished memories. Just like any precious possession, proper care is essential to ensure they function optimally throughout our lives.
Listening to your eyes and being aware of any changes in your vision, such as blurriness, floaters, or difficulty seeing at night is very important, as these could be signs of an underlying issue that one may not be mindful of. These conditions, if left untreated, may result in severe vision loss. While there is no scientifically proven method to prevent the onset of age-related eye diseases, cultivating good eye-care practices and yearly check-ups can help to detect early signs of age-related conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, allowing for timely intervention and better outcomes.
Poor vision has been associated with increased risk of falls, cognitive impairment or even depression. These become more evident amongst the elderly. Ideally, whenever the elderly’s vision can be improved with refractive correction, they should consider wearing glasses to function with the best corrected vision.
The Singapore Optometrist & Opticians Board (OOB) recommends yearly eye examination for individuals aged 60 and above or twice a year if they have existing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, or family history of eye diseases. Early diagnosis & treatment of the diseases give the elderly the best chance of preserving their good vision. The eye examination should include vision check and assessment of the health of the external & the internal part of the eye to detect developing vision problems.
If you are a caregiver, keep a look out for signs of vision problems, which include squinting of the eyes or tilting or turning of head or changing the distance when viewing things, difficulty recognising faces and frequent bumping into surrounding objects. Do bring them over to the doctor for a comprehensive eye examination.
Your eyesight is a precious gift. Maintaining good vision empowers our seniors, especially to remain independent longer. Find out more about how Vision changes as we age by Ms Fifiana Tan, Senior Optometrist, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The article underscores the importance of maintaining good vision for the older adults – crucial for independence, safety, and overall well-being.
Click the link here for video link of our optometrist giving a public online talk, here’s the URL https://for.sg/jhc-mcgt-vision-changes