It's a bit like getting grey hairs or wrinkles. Most elderly people do not see as well as they used to. Many will need glasses and some will eventually become visually impaired. An example of impaired vision that may be caused by age is macular degeneration . The part of the retina that is responsible for central vision begins to wear out and a hole appears in the middle of what you can see.
Some people become blind through accidents, either at work or at home.
Even if these accidents do not lead to blindness they can cause much discomfort, misery and pain. Over 200 people a day injure their eyes at home, of whom one third are children. The most common cause of accidents to the eye in the home are DIY, car maintenance, gardening and sport injuries. Most accidents to the eye are preventable. Many are caused by children running into sharp objects like scissors or playing with dangerous items, such as aerosol cans or pop bottles.