Eyesight changing as you get older (physically, long-term, relationship, benefits)
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I've had dry macular degeneration since my early 30s, not getting any better.
I avoid driving after dusk at all costs. This has put a bit of a kubosh on our symphony shows, but so has Covid.
Diminished eyesight and being unable to drive is another reason I'll probably move to a senior housing place if I outlive my husband, which I probably won't. Pays to think ahead tho.
Do they have Uber or Lift in your area? That would be a great way to get to and from the symphony. Once when attending a music festival, we just stayed a night in a nearby hotel, and just taxi'd to and from the show to avoid driving the long, late night drive home after.
Better at night than in the day sounds like classic cataract. I know you said you had cataract surgery, but there's something called secondary cataract.
I have hard crystals on the back of my lens cap and if the sun is bright, I can't see a single thing, I'm simply blinded by refraction; it's all brightness and impossible to stand. Lower light is more comfortable, though I use a daylight bulb to sew.
I've had this happen in the car as a passenger if I'm looking at my phone and all of a sudden, I can't see what I'm looking at. That makes sense. I will bring this up in my next appointment.
Not sure if they would be willing to do another surgery. So many risks with my eye.
Huge risk from the doctor's view back in 1991 and 1992 - could not find anyone to do the cataract surgery at that time. Finally, the first doctor I had seen took the case; did the surgery the old fashioned way; almost 6 months to the day, that doctor died tragically in an accident.
I had the cataract removed from my right eye in 1992. I was in my 30's at the time.
They did not want to touch the left eye at the time. I am blind in the left eye.
The surgery was done the old fashioned way. I was in the hospital for overnight even.
It took away the near sightedness and far sightedness and that was a gift also.
I have an implant in the right eye. I have glasses on top of that for distance and close work.
So far, it's a negative on doing anymore.
Because I only have one eye technically, too much risk on the doctor's end. There's not enough people like me out there to do much testing.
Well, I started at 1.25 reading glasses at 46. I'm at 2.75 at 61. The night driving is made a bit better by my night vision glasses. Simply colored plastic tinted a light yellow seems to brighten everything up
Best to you...I've always said "if I had to lose either eyesight or hearing, I'd prefer to lose hearing, because at least I'd be able to see stuff".
Clearly I hope neither happen to me!
Be careful what you say! I said virtually the same thing to my daughter at Christmas time. I had a eye doc appt. in January and he informed me that I had the start of macular degeneration....no cure. There is no history of MD in my family on either side so it was totally unexpected. Taking the AREDS2 vitamins and using the eye chart but thats about it. I have always taken care of my eyes and always wear UV blocking sunglasses since I have blue eyes. I wore contacts for about 30 years but not for about 20 years now. Not really sure why it happened. So far my vision is correctable so I just keep hoping.
To answer the original question about improving eyesight as I age, I simply go to my ophthalmologist every 4 months so he can monitor my slow slide toward the tendency of glaucoma. So far so good, but every year or two there is a change-up in my drugs which indicates it's not improving, just delaying what might be inevitable. Similar to prostate cancer in some men where the condition's progress is so slow that the patient will die of old age before the disease really takes hold.
I would suggest those without any eye problems visit an ophthalmologist every year since macular degeneration or cataracts aren't uncommon in older folks & there are no real noticable symptoms for glaucoma in its early stages.
Well, I started at 1.25 reading glasses at 46. I'm at 2.75 at 61. The night driving is made a bit better by my night vision glasses. Simply colored plastic tinted a light yellow seems to brighten everything up
Do those things REALLY help? Between my visual field defect, age (65) and basic paranoia, my night driving is restricted to areas that I'm VERY familiar with within 5 mikes from home.
I started wearing readers at 36. Now I'm up to 4.5!!!
I would suggest those without any eye problems visit an ophthalmologist every year since macular degeneration or cataracts aren't uncommon in older folks & there are no real noticable symptoms for glaucoma in its early stages.
Yes, that's what my new ophthalmologist suggested after looking at my optic nerve. It seems sensible.
As most of you know, I have dealt with vision issues since birth. I was premature, born at 26 weeks, 1 pound, 9 ounces and was in the hospital for close to 10 months (had to get to 5 pounds).
During that time, too much oxygen given and I'm blind in the eye with limited vision in the good eye (20/60).
I've had cataract surgery in the good eye in my 30's. With that, they gave me an implant and took away the farsightedness and nearsightedness which was wonderful. That was 30 years ago.
Just over the past few days, I've felt my vision is not as crisp.
I do go to the doctor every 6 months and last time, he told he told me there is not much they can do. He did not indicate it would get worse. I feel like it has - just very recently.
Just wondering if there are ways you've found to improve your vision. I know I need to lose some weight; if that helps, I'm on it. Great motivator.
I'm looking for little tricks, exercises for the eye, things like that.
You should call your doctor and explain that your vision has suddenly become worse. He just might want you to come in sooner rather than later, so that he can make sure your vision loss is not due to something else going on in your body.
Our eyes are very sensitive to oxygen levels in the air around us. In my case, I became very oxygen deprived over a time period of three years due to an ancient home heater that burned incorrectly and emitted an ever increasing amount of CO without my realizing what was happening. It got to the point where I couldn't read the shipping labels on boxes of merchandize that I had to inventory for my job. I went to two different eye doctors and neither could figure out my problem. It took the utilities company to finally give me an explanation when they came to my home and tested the amount of O2 vs CO in the air. Yikes! But it was too late, the damage was done and my eyes never really recovered.
I am also myopic, and the only personal tip I can give you is to remove your glasses when you are trying to read fine print. However, according to the Johns Hopkins website, there are several things we can do to help prevent vision loss as we age.
Like - losing weight can help prevent glaucoma from becoming severe or even from occurring at all. Just one more reason for me to go on a diet, too. Needless to say, if you smoke tobacco, try to quit just one more time. It can make a huge difference in preventing your vision from deteriorating due to age. If you have blue eyes and a light complexion, sunglasses are your friend. Try to make a point of wearing them every time you go out.
Johns Hopkins also encourages us to become more active rather than less as we age. I guess I should take my dog on more and longer walks. He will be a very happy dog if I can make this change in our routine.
Finally, my favorite suggestion is to start drinking! Don't drink too much, however. Two glasses of wine per day if you are a man and one if you are a woman.
May everyone's vision get BETTER as we age. Here's looking at you, kid!
routine. Finally, my favorite suggestion is to start drinking! Don't drink too much, however. Two glasses of wine per day if you are a man and one if you are a woman.
May everyone's vision get BETTER as we age. Here's looking at you, kid!
Best suggestion every!
Does it help your vision though?
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Very good to know this ---
Removal of cataract
