Why Routine Eye Exams are Crucial to Senior Health

Home Care Blog>In Home Care  |  June 28, 2019

Why Routine Eye Exams are Crucial to Senior Health

Routine eye exams can help seniors in Calgary, AB detect eye diseases early on.

Regular eye exams are an important part of senior care. But, why are routine eye exams crucial to senior health? Adults over the age of 60 are at a greater risk of developing certain eye diseases that can permanently affect their vision.

Seniors in Calgary, AB should visit their optometrist for a comprehensive dilated eye exam, which is needed to detect eye diseases. When eye diseases are discovered early on, treatment can help prevent permanent vision loss. For this reason, routine eye exams should be a part of every senior care plan.

Age-related eye problems often have early warning signs, and seniors should see their optometrists if they notice any changes to their vision. However, many eye diseases do not present any symptoms early on. Because they often develop painlessly, seniors have no idea they have the disease until it’s already progressed to a later stage.

Some of the most common vision disorders that affect seniors include:

• Cataracts: Cause cloudy or opaque patches in areas of the eyes that are normally clear. Depending on the location and size, cataracts can interfere with normal vision. They typically affect both eyes, but one eye is often worse than the other.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD: Affects the macula, which is what allows you to see fine details and colors. AMD causes central vision loss, but your peripheral vision remains intact. The disease makes it difficult or impossible to read, watch TV, drive, or even recognize faces.
• Glaucoma: A group of eye disorders in which optic nerve damage has caused vision loss. Older adults and people with a family history of glaucoma are at a greater risk of developing the disease. Peripheral vision may be impacted.
• Dry Eyes: Makes it more difficult for the eyes to produce tears.
• Diabetic Retinopathy: Occurs in people with diabetes and is the result of progressive damage to the blood vessels that nourish the retina.
• Retinal Detachment: The tearing or separation of the retina from its underlying tissue. Advanced health problems or trauma to the head or eye can cause retinal detachment.

Eye Exams Can Reveal Other Health Problems

When regular eye exams are part of a senior care plan, older adults are often able to learn other things about their health. Many chronic health conditions affect the eyes and present symptoms that only your eye doctor can pick up on, such as:

• Autoimmune disorders
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Cancer
• Thyroid disease
• High cholesterol
• Mental health
• Tumors
• Aneurysm
• Vitamin A deficiency
• Multiple sclerosis

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help

At Comfort Keepers^®, we create individual care plans for every client. These plans include wellness goals that consider physical, mental and emotional health. Our caregivers can help support physician-prescribed diet and exercise plans, provide medication reminders, provide transportation to appointments and help seniors engage in the activities they love the most. And, our caregivers can help senior stay connected with loved ones through video chats, phone calls and care updates. We believe that every senior should experience the best in life.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

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