Health Conditions : Vision & Eye Diseases

Senior with Glaucoma eye disease

What It Is:

Glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are the most common vision-related diseases that affect millions of seniors every year.

Facts & Overview Symptoms Diagnosis & Treatment Risk Factors Caregiver Guidance

Number of people affected:
15 million or more

Who gets it:
Seniors over age 60

Symptoms:
Changes in vision, peripheral (side) vision, cloudy vision, vision failure

Treatments:
Eye drops, medication, surgery

Doctors to see:
Ophthalmologist

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There are four major age-related eye diseases (AREDs) — glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy that affect seniors.

Glaucoma - Glaucoma damages the eye's optic nerve and results in vision loss and blindness. Sometimes, there are no initial symptoms, so as many as 1 million people may have glaucoma and do not know they have it. It is one of the main causes of blindness in the United States.

Cataracts - A cataract is a clouding of the lens within the eye. The lens is composed of water and protein. If the protein clumps together, it starts to cloud over a small area of the lens. This cloudy mass of protein — called a cataract — can grow larger, making it hard to see. If the cataract worsens, surgery may be necessary to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a new lens.

Macular Degeneration - Macular Degeneration (MD) diminishes sight in a dramatic way: It affects the central vision. Although people with MD rarely go blind because of it, many find it difficult to read, drive and perform other daily functions. The macula is located in the center of the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. Deterioration of the macula results in eye disease.

Diabetic Retinopathy - This potentially blinding disorder is a complication of diabetes. Diabetes causes abnormal changes in the retina’s blood vessels. Blood vessels can become leaky and begin to grow where they should not. These new vessels tend to break and bleed, or hemorrhage. As they try to heal, these blood vessels will contract and detach the retina.