AgePage

National Institute on Aging

2 

Aging And Your Eyes

Are you holding the newspaper farther away 

from your eyes than you used to? Join the 

crowd—age can bring changes that affect 

your eyesight. Some changes are more serious 

than others, but for many problems, there 

are things you can do to protect your vision. 

The key is to have regular eye exams so you 

can spot problems early.

Steps To Protect Your Eyesight

Have your eyes checked regularly 

by an eye care professional—either 

an ophthalmologist or optometrist. 

People over age 65 should have yearly 

eye exams. During this exam, the eye 

care professional should put drops in 

your eyes that will widen (dilate) your 

pupils so that he or she can look at 

your inner eye. This is the only way to 

see some common eye diseases that 

have no early signs or symptoms. If you 

wear glasses, your prescription should 

be checked too. 

See your doctor regularly to check 

for diseases like diabetes and high 

blood pressure. These diseases can 

cause eye problems if not treated. 

See an eye care professional right 

away if you:

F Suddenly cannot see or everything 

looks dim 

F See flashes of light

F Have eye pain

F Experience double vision

F Have redness or swelling of your 

eye or eyelid 

Protect your eyes from too much 

sunlight by wearing sunglasses that block 

ultraviolet (UV) radiation and a hat 

with a wide brim when you are outside.

Common Eye Problems 

The following common eye problems 

can be easily treated. But, sometimes 

they can be signs of more serious issues. 

F Presbyopia (prez-bee-OH-pee-uh) is 

a slow loss of ability to see close objects or 

small print. It is normal to have this as you 

get older. People with presbyopia often 

have headaches or strained, tired eyes. 

Reading glasses usually fix the problem. 

F Floaters are tiny specks or “cobwebs” 

that seem to float across your vision. 

You might see them in well-lit rooms or 

outdoors on a bright day. Floaters can be 
AgePage

National Institute on Aging

2 

Aging And Your Eyes

Are you holding the newspaper farther away 

from your eyes than you used to? Join the 

crowd—age can bring changes that affect 

your eyesight. Some changes are more serious 

than others, but for many problems, there 

are things you can do to protect your vision. 

The key is to have regular eye exams so you 

can spot problems early.

Steps To Protect Your Eyesight

Have your eyes checked regularly 

by an eye care professional—either 

an ophthalmologist or optometrist. 

People over age 65 should have yearly 

eye exams. During this exam, the eye 

care professional should put drops in 

your eyes that will widen (dilate) your 

pupils so that he or she can look at 

your inner eye. This is the only way to 

see some common eye diseases that 

have no early signs or symptoms. If you 

wear glasses, your prescription should 

be checked too. 

See your doctor regularly to check 

for diseases like diabetes and high 

blood pressure. These diseases can 

cause eye problems if not treated. 

See an eye care professional right 

away if you:

F Suddenly cannot see or everything 

looks dim 

F See flashes of light

F Have eye pain

F Experience double vision

F Have redness or swelling of your 

eye or eyelid 

Protect your eyes from too much 

sunlight by wearing sunglasses that block 

ultraviolet (UV) radiation and a hat 

with a wide brim when you are outside.

Common Eye Problems 

The following common eye problems 

can be easily treated. But, sometimes 

they can be signs of more serious issues. 

F Presbyopia (prez-bee-OH-pee-uh) is 

a slow loss of ability to see close objects or 

small print. It is normal to have this as you 

get older. People with presbyopia often 

have headaches or strained, tired eyes. 

Reading glasses usually fix the problem. 

F Floaters are tiny specks or “cobwebs” 

that seem to float across your vision. 

You might see them in well-lit rooms or 

outdoors on a bright day. Floaters can be 
5 6 

F Glaucoma comes from too much 

fluid pressure inside the eye. If not 

treated, it can lead to vision loss and 

blindness. People with glaucoma have no 

early symptoms or pain. You can protect 

yourself by having regular dilated eye 

exams. Glaucoma can be treated with 

prescription eye drops, lasers, or surgery.

F Retinal disorders are a leading cause 

of blindness in the United States. Retinal 

disorders that affect aging eyes include: 

n Age-related macular 

degeneration, or AMD. AMD can 

harm the sharp vision needed to see 

objects clearly and to do common 

things like driving and reading. 

During a dilated eye exam, your eye 

care professional will look for signs 

of AMD. There are many treatments 

for AMD. If you have AMD, ask if 

special dietary supplements could 

lower your chances of it getting worse. 

n Diabetic retinopathy. This 

problem may occur if you have 

diabetes. It develops slowly and 

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 

under control can prevent diabetic 

retinopathy or slow its progress. 

Laser surgery can sometimes 

prevent it from getting worse. 

n Retinal detachment. THIS 

IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. 

When the retina separates from the 

back of the eye, it’s called retinal 

detachment. If you see new floaters 

or light flashes, go to your eye care 

professional right away. With surgery 

or laser treatment, doctors often 

can prevent loss of vision. 

Low Vision

Low vision means you cannot fix 

your eyesight with glasses, contact lenses, 

medicine, or surgery. Low vision affects 

some people as they age. You may have 

low vision if you: 

F Have trouble seeing well enough 

to do everyday tasks like reading, 

cooking, or sewing 

F Can’t recognize the faces of friends 

or family 

F Have trouble reading street signs 

F 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. There are special tools and 

aids to help people with low vision read, 

write, and manage daily tasks. These 

include large-print reading materials, 

magnifying aids, closed-circuit televisions, 

audio tapes, electronic reading machines, 

and computers with large print and a 

talking function. Sometimes changing 
5 6 

F Glaucoma comes from too much 

fluid pressure inside the eye. If not 

treated, it can lead to vision loss and 

blindness. People with glaucoma have no 

early symptoms or pain. You can protect 

yourself by having regular dilated eye 

exams. Glaucoma can be treated with 

prescription eye drops, lasers, or surgery.

F Retinal disorders are a leading cause 

of blindness in the United States. Retinal 

disorders that affect aging eyes include: 

n Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. AMD can harm the 

sharp vision needed to see objects 

clearly and to do common things 

like driving and reading. During 

a dilated eye exam, your eye care 

professional will look for signs of 

AMD. There are many treatments 

for AMD. If you have AMD, ask if 

special dietary supplements could 

lower your chances of it getting worse. 

n Diabetic retinopathy. This 

problem may occur if you have 

diabetes. It develops slowly and 

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 

under control can prevent diabetic 

retinopathy or slow its progress. 

Laser surgery can sometimes 

prevent it from getting worse. 

n Retinal detachment. THIS 

IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. 

When the retina separates from the 

back of the eye, it’s called retinal 

detachment. If you see new floaters 

or light flashes, go to your eye care 

professional right away. With surgery 

or laser treatment, doctors often 

can prevent loss of vision. 

Low Vision

Low vision means you cannot fix 

your eyesight with glasses, contact lenses, 

medicine, or surgery. Low vision affects 

some people as they age. You may have 

low vision if you: 

F Have trouble seeing well enough 

to do everyday tasks like reading, 

cooking, or sewing 

F Can’t recognize the faces of friends 

or family 

F Have trouble reading street signs 

F 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. There are special tools and 

aids to help people with low vision read, 

write, and manage daily tasks. These 

include large-print reading materials, 

magnifying aids, closed-circuit televisions, 

audio tapes, electronic reading machines, 

and computers with large print and a 

talking function. Sometimes changing