Save Your Eyesight
Health Report
Six ways vision changes as you age—and what to do about them
BY JENNIFER NELSON
M
1. Fuzzier small print
WHY IT HAPPENS As you age,
your eye’s lens becomes less flexible,
which means it has a harder time
changing its focal point from far to
near. That makes it difficult to focus
on close-up objects.
HOW TO FIX IT You know you can
get reading glasses or bifocals, but sexier options include bifocal contacts,
multifocal contacts, or monovision,
where one eye is fitted with a contact
lens to see distance and the other
eye is fitted with a lens to see close
up. “Monovision is a great option for
many, but not everyone’s brain accepts
it,” says Nancy A. Tanchel, M.D., an
ophthalmologist and owner of Liberty
Laser Eye Center in Tysons Corner,
Virginia. You’re a good candidate for
bifocal, multifocal, or monovision
contacts if you’re willing to trade off
supersharp vision at a distance for
better close-up vision.
RED FLAG An abrupt decline in vision could be associated with several
conditions, including macular degeneration, a disorder in which central
vision is damaged; a vitreous hemorrhage, sometimes from an aneurysm
in the eye, often associated with diabetes; or a retinal detachment. “Any
abrupt change warrants an immediate
evaluation,” Tanchel says.
AYBE YOU’RE HAVING A HARD TIME
reading this article. Or perhaps you
have stopped driving at night
because you just can’t see as well then.
Don’t worry: Chances are, you’re not
going blind. But you might be experi-
encing some age-related eye issues. Here is a list of the most common symptoms
that affect your eyesight as you get older, why they happen, what to do about
them—and when to see your eye doctor immediately.
2. Diminished color vision
WHY IT HAPPENS Blame it again
on the lens, which gets cloudy with
age (a clouded lens is a cataract). “A
lot of people don’t realize it because
it’s a gradual process. Things may
turn more yellow or brown than they
really are,” says Brian Bonanni, M.D.,
GALLERY S TOCK
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