AgePage 

Aging and Your Eyes 

As you age, it is normal to notice changes in your 

vision. A few common changes for older adults 

include: 

 Losing the ability to see up close 

 Having trouble distinguishing colors, such as 

blue from black 

 Needing more time to adjust to changing 

levels of light 

These problems are often easily corrected. 

Glasses, contact lenses, and improved lighting 

may help and enable you to maintain your 

lifestyle and independence. 

Your risk for some eye diseases and conditions 

increases as you grow older, and some eye 

changes are more serious. Keep your eyes as 

healthy as possible by getting regular eye exams 

so any problems can be spotted early. 

What Can You Do To Protect 

Your Vision? 

Have your eyes checked regularly by an eye 

care professional — either an ophthalmologist or 

optometrist. Finding and treating any problems 

early can help protect your vision and prevent 

vision loss. Make a list of your questions and 

concerns to share with the doctor. Tell them 

which medications you are taking. Some can 

affect your eyes. 

Normal changes in the aging eye usually do 

not harm your vision. However, sometimes they 

can be signs of a more serious problem. For 

example, your eyes may leak tears. This can 

happen with light sensitivity, wind, or 

temperature changes. Sunglasses and eye drops 

may help. Sometimes, leaking tears may be a 

symptom of dry eye or a sign of an infection or 

Tips for Healthy Eyes at 

Any Age 

There are things you can do to take good 

care of your eyes and help keep them 

healthy as you age: 

Protect your eyes from sunlight by wearing 

sunglasses that block ultraviolet (UV) 

radiation and a hat with a wide brim when 

you are outside. 

■ Stop smoking. 

■ Make smart food choices. 

■ Be physically active and maintain a 

healthy weight. 

■ Maintain normal blood pressure. 

■ Manage diabetes (if you have it). 

■ If you spend a lot of time at the 

computer or focused on one thing, take 

a break every 20 minutes to look about 

20 feet away for 20 seconds to prevent 

eye strain. 

blocked tear ducts. Your eye care professional can 

treat these problems. 

Many people don’t notice any signs or 

symptoms in the early stages of eye diseases. A 

dilated eye exam performed by an eye care 

professional is the only way to fnd some common 

eye diseases while they’re easier to treat — and 

before they cause vision loss. Everyone over age 

50 should have a dilated eye exam every year or 

as recommended by your eye care professional, 

even if you have good vision and don’t wear 

contacts or glasses. After age 60, you should get a 

dilated eye exam every year or two. Most people 

with diabetes or high blood pressure need to get 

a dilated exam at least once a year. 

During this exam, the eye care professional 

will put drops in your eyes to widen (dilate) your 

pupils so that he or she can better see inside each 

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Signs of an Eye Emergency 

See an eye care professional right away 

if you: 

■ Suddenly cannot see or everything 

looks blurry 

■ See many new foaters (tiny specks or 

“cobwebs” that seem to foat across your 

vision) and/or fashes of light 

■ Have eye pain 

■ Experience double vision 

■ Have redness or swelling of your eye 

or eyelid 

eye. Your vision may be blurry after the exam, 

and your eyes may be more sensitive to light. This 

only lasts a few hours. Make plans for someone 

else to drive you home. 

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, get your 

prescription checked, too. Even small changes in 

sight can increase your risk for falls and injuries. 

It’s important to use the proper prescription 

glasses or contact lenses. 

See your primary health care provider 

regularly to check for diseases like diabetes and 

high blood pressure. These diseases can cause eye 

problems if not controlled or treated. 

Eye Diseases and Conditions 

The following eye problems can lead to vision 

loss and blindness in older adults. These problems 

may have few or no early symptoms. Regular eye 

exams are your best protection. If your eye care 

professional fnds a problem early, often there are 

things you can do to protect your vision. 

 Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 

can harm the sharp, central vision needed to see 

objects clearly and to do common things like 

driving and reading. Your eye care professional 

will ask about your family history and look for 

signs of AMD during a dilated eye exam. 

Treatments are available, and special dietary 

supplements may help lower your chance of it 

getting worse. 

 Diabetic retinopathy may occur if you have 

diabetes. It develops slowly, often with no early 

warning signs. If you have diabetes, be sure to 

have a dilated eye exam at least once a year. 

Keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure, and 

cholesterol under control can prevent diabetic 

retinopathy or slow its progress in early stages. 

Laser surgery in later stages can sometimes 

prevent it from getting worse. 

 Cataracts are cloudy areas in the eye’s lens 

that cause blurred or hazy vision. Some cataracts 

stay small and don’t change your eyesight much. 

Others become large and reduce vision. Cataract 

surgery can restore good vision and is a safe and 

common treatment. If you have a cataract, your 

eye care professional will watch for changes over 

time to see if you would beneft from surgery. 

 Glaucoma is usually caused by too much fuid 

pressure inside the eye. If not treated, it can lead 

to vision loss and blindness. People with 

glaucoma often have no early symptoms or pain. 

You can help protect yourself by having dilated 

eye exams yearly. Glaucoma can be treated with 

prescription eye drops, lasers, or surgery. 

 Dry eye occurs when tear glands don’t work 

well. You may feel stinging or burning, a sandy 

feeling as if something is in the eye, or other 

discomfort. Dry eye is common as people get 

older, especially for women. Your eye care 

professional may tell you to use a home 

humidifer or air purifer, special eye drops 

(artifcial tears), or ointments to treat dry eye. 

For more severe cases, treatment options might 

include prescription medication, tear duct plugs, 

or surgery. 

What Is Low Vision? 

Low vision means you cannot fx your eyesight 

with glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery. 

Low vision affects some people as they age. You 

may have low vision if you: 

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 Can’t see well enough to do everyday tasks

like reading or cooking

 Have diffculty recognizing the faces of your

friends or family

 Have trouble reading street signs

 Find that lights don’t seem as bright

If you have any of these problems, ask your eye

care professional to test you for low vision. 

Vision rehabilitation programs and special 

aids, such as a magnifying device, can help you 

adapt to vision loss and make the most of your 

remaining sight. Remember to ask your eye doctor 

if it is safe for you to drive with your vision. If you 

have to stop driving, organizations in your area 

may be able to arrange rides for you, or public 

transportation may be available. 

Other tips that may help: 

 Brighten the lighting in your room.

 Write with bold, black felt-tip markers.

 Use paper with bold lines to help you write in

a straight line.

 Put colored tape on the edge of any stairs in

your home to help you see them and help prevent

you from falling.

 Install dark-colored light switches and

electrical outlets so that you can see them easily

against light-colored walls.

 Use motion lights that turn on when you enter

a room. These may help you avoid accidents

caused by poor lighting.

 Use clocks with large numbers and phones

with large screens; put large-print labels on the

microwave and stove.

For More Information About 

Eye Problems 

National Eye Institute 

301-496-5248

2020@nei.nih.gov

www.nei.nih.gov

National Library of Medicine 

MedlinePlus 

www.medlineplus.gov

VisionAware 

American Printing House for the Blind 

800-232-5463 

connectcenter@aph.org 

https://visionaware.org

For more information on health and aging, 

contact: 

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center 

800-222-2225 

800-222-4225 (TTY) 

niaic@nia.nih.gov 

www.nia.nih.gov

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/health to fnd more health 

and aging information from NIA and subscribe to 

email alerts. Visit https://order.nia.nih.gov to order 

free print publications. 

National Institute 

on Aging 

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NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health® November 2021