Taking care of the eyes is a part of maintaining good overall health. As people age, their vision often changes, requiring new prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses. Five indications of changing eyesight are explained below.
Holding Things Farther Away
In middle age, the lens of the eye gradually loses its ability to focus on close objects. This manifests as blurriness when attempting to read a book or newspaper, resulting in the person needing to hold them at a distance. Switching to reading glasses or a bifocal prescription will correct this problem.
Increasing Text Size
One of the benefits of the modern age is the ability to instantly increase text size on a computer or phone screen. While this will instantly make for easier reading, it is a clear sign of visual changes when it is done often. This calls for an appointment with an eye doctor.
Headaches and Eye Strain
One of the biggest indicators that someone needs a new prescription is the onset of headaches or eye strain. When either of these occurs, it means the eyes are working too hard. This is especially true of those who must remove their glasses or contacts periodically to allow the eyes to refocus after reading or working on the computer.
Light Sensitivity
Those experiencing vision changes often find bright light and glare to be painful. This makes it difficult to be out in sunlight and to drive a car at night. While some daytime relief can be found with sunglasses, it does not take care of the underlying problem. An eye exam should be scheduled.
Get an Eye Exam
According to The Eyewear Place, anyone who is seeing changes in their vision should schedule an eye exam with an ophthalmologist. The doctor will examine the eyes and run tests to determine if there are serious problems that require treatment. In most cases, new glasses will eliminate blurry vision, eye strain and light sensitivity. It is recommended to get an eye exam every year, especially after age 40.
No one should ignore any changes in vision, even if they seem small or are not causing major issues. Only an eye doctor can tell if the changes are related to aging or a more serious medical problem. In addition, a person can save money by addressing vision changes right away and not letting them become larger problems in the long term.