Elisabeth S. Swan, O.D.

It’s a big word for tiny floaters, those specks that people begin to notice as they grow older. Sometimes they appear to be tiny insects or cobwebs drifting round the visual area.

If they were stationary we wouldn’t notice them because the eyes and related neurons that provide information to the brain would adapt to their presence and not send a signal of recognition to the brain.

Generally, floaters cause no ill effects. But if you suddenly experience flashing lights and a shower of floaters, it could signal retinal detachment. In that case, give us an immediate call.

Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) occurs when the clear substance called the vitreous gel pulls away from the retina, where the nerve cells perceive light signals.

When vitreous detachment occurs, as it does during the aging process, matter can float in the gel causing an impression of mist or cobwebs. These are called floaters. Usually, they do no damage and become less noticeable after awhile.

As always, though, we encourage you to call if you have concerns about changes in your vision.

People who suffer from age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy are considered to have low vision. Does someone you know have limited useful sight with issues that cannot be corrected?

Occupational therapy can provide alternative strategies for accomplishing daily activities. Adapting lighting in homes and purchasing products designed to aid people with low vision can make a big difference. And occupational therapists have techniques that train people to compensate by using their vision differently, further extending their independence.

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S., is most often associated with the elderly. But Prevent Blindness America, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization working to prevent blindness and preserve sight, cautions that glaucoma can appear at any age.

The disease slowly damages the optic nerve causing peripheral vision loss. If untreated, central vision can also be compromised or lost.

Groups that are most likely to develop glaucoma include people over forty and those with a family history of glaucoma. African Americans and Hispanics are at increased risk. Also, a congenital form of glaucoma can emerge in much younger people.

Glaucoma is sometimes referred to as “the sneak thief of sight”, as generally there are no obvious warning signs. Unusually high pressure in the eye can be an early indicator and this is why a comprehensive eye examination includes a test for eye pressure. For those who have been identified as at risk for glaucoma, an annual dilated eye examination is recommended.

There is no cure for glaucoma and it cannot currently be prevented. Nor can vision that is lost be restored. But when diagnosed and treated early, glaucoma’s effects on the eyes and vision can be mitigated.

The general term for eyelids that droop is ptosis. It is usually the result of the aging process but ptosis can occur in children, too. Additional causes include injuries, tumors, neurological disorders and disease.

Extreme cases of ptosis can make it difficult for people to see. In such cases, corrective surgery can tighten the levator muscles that lift the eyelid.

According to a study in the Journal of Neuroscience this spring, people who have been partially blinded by stroke may recover some vision through eye exercises.

Stroke can damage the primary visual cortex. So, researchers at the University of Rochester Eye Institute developed a set of exercises to train another area of the brain to assume some of those functions. Those who practiced the exercises daily for nine to eighteen months improved their vision significantly.

Women are more likely than men to develop eye-related diseases. According to eye health sources that specialize in women’s issues, two-thirds of blindness and visual impairment occurs in women.

In part, this is due to their longevity but there are other factors, too. For instance, the condition known as “dry eye” afflicts more women than men and can be attributed to hormone levels. This is a condition that is generally treated simply with eye drops and/or medication.

Cataracts, if untreated, can gradually impair the ability to conduct daily activities. Once the problem is diagnosed, however, they can usually be treated with simple surgery.

Macular degeneration can take away the ability to read and to drive. These two basic activities of normal life affect the quality of a woman’s life and the quality of family life. Women often become the primary caregiver for an aging spouse and other family members. Impairment can seriously affect families when women do not maintain regular eye health checkups and follow through with
treatment.

To avoid the risk of unnecessary blindness, women sixty years of age and older should have a dilated-eye exam every two years. Such exams test for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other vision issues. In families where macular degeneration is an issue, women forty years of age should be tested.

As we age, our ability to read or see up close can begin to diminish.

Solutions include using reading or multifocal glasses or contact lenses. Another option is monovision which uses contact lenses to correct one eye for distance and the other for near or intermediate vision. The brain learns to “choose” the distance-corrected eye to see far away and the other one for up-close focusing.

Adjustment to monovision varies. Some people adjust right away, others may take several weeks to adapt. Some people cannot make the adjustment at all. We have simple testing that can establish the benefits for you.

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S., is most often associated with the elderly. But Prevent Blindness America, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization working to prevent blindness and preserve sight, cautions that glaucoma can appear at any age.

The disease slowly damages the optic nerve causing peripheral vision loss. If untreated, central vision can also be compromised or lost.

Groups that are most likely to develop glaucoma include people over forty and those with a family history of glaucoma. African Americans and Hispanics are at increased risk. Also, a congenital form of glaucoma can emerge in much younger people.

Glaucoma is sometimes referred to as “the sneak thief of sight”, as generally there are no obvious warning signs. Unusually high pressure in the eye can be an early indicator and this is why a comprehensive eye examination includes a test for eye pressure. For those who have been identified as at risk for glaucoma, an annual dilated eye examination is recommended.

There is no cure for glaucoma and it cannot currently be prevented. Nor can vision that is lost be restored. But when diagnosed and treated early, glaucoma’s effects on the eyes and vision can be mitigated.

Are you at the point of not being able to read up close without straining? Fashion and glasses can go together!
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