Common Eye Diseases For Those Above 40

Eye disease can affect anyone … at any age. It’s only after 40 our vision starts to blur.

The eyes aren’t like teeth, which you can brush and floss and care for everyday --- time catches up with the eyesight after four decades. Since 40 is also the time where other diseases are likely, they may have lasting effects to your eyesight.

You may scoff and think that prescription glasses, reading glasses and 20 minute breaks will fix your deteriorating vision, but actually, putting off any actual check-up may make things worse.

Here are the most common diseases that affect eyesight:

Cataracts – These are obstructions in the lens of the eye that essentially make that part of the eye a blind spot. It is actually a bag of fluid that fills up where the lens of the eyes sit. When old cells die, they accumulate and cause cloudy / blurry vision.

Glaucoma – Is damage done to the optic nerve when there’s simply an imbalance of fluids in the eye. It causes decreased peripheral vision and pressure to the eyes which may lead to complete blindness.

Macular Degeneration – This is when the macula, or the center of the eye’s retina has deteriorated because of age. The center of the retina is responsible for seeing the finer details. If left untreated, it may lead to a complete loss of function in observing details, which basically means no more reading, or recognizing faces.

Diabetic Retinopathy – Is a severe complication of diabetes which may lead to swelling blood vessels in the eyes. Vision changes may not be noticeable, but if left untreated, may lead to vision loss, then blindness.

In you are in the 40's, these are the common eye problems you may encounter. Make sure to visit an eye specialist to make sure you’re not straining your vision too much.