Posted by: Mann Eye in News and Events
Happy Healthy Vision Month from Mann Eye Institute! For the month of May, we want to make sure you are informed about the preventative measures you can take to maximize your visual health as long as possible into your mid-age and senior years.
Get ahead and stay ahead
Staying up-to-date with medical eye exams is the best way to maintain visual health. Instead of waiting for symptoms to arise, we recommend that patients start to see us on a regular basis to get ahead of any potential problems. For people who have no existing eye diseases or other vision concerns, the American Academy of Ophthalmologists recommends a baseline comprehensive eye exam at age 40.
The frequency of which you will have these exams after your first exam will depend on the health of your eyes, your age and other factors. Just like regular mammograms and colon screenings start around age 45, general eye exams are a vital part of your preventative healthcare regimen as you age. At Mann Eye, we are eager to make sure you and your eyes are well taken care of!
What to expect
During this exam, your doctor will evaluate you for glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, among other common vision problems. Based on your needs, your doctor will then help to create an exam schedule, allowing you to “keep an eye” on your vision so symptoms and issues that may arise in the future can be addressed promptly.
Most medical insurance plans (including Medicare!) cover comprehensive eye exams like these. That means that even if you don’t have separate vision insurance, your routine visit with us should still be covered!
Cataracts
Unfortunately, cataracts are an inevitable vision problem that arises as we age. For most people, cataracts start developing around age 40, though symptoms are not noticeable until around 60 years of age. As one of the more common issues that people see an ophthalmologist for, cataracts are most effectively treated when patients maintain a regular relationship with their ophthalmologist.
Because cataracts develop slowly over many years, it may take a while for you to notice that they have begun creating problems for you. This is why it is so critical for your ophthalmologist to monitor any cataract development early on.
Treatment for cataracts
The only way to remove a cataract is through surgery, but the development of cataracts can be slowed by maintaining good visual health, particularly protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays from the sun.
Fortunately, cataract surgery is very common and here at Mann Eye Institute, we are pros at getting our patients’ eyesight back to normal (or even better than normal with the option of Refractive Lens Replacement!).
Treating cataracts in older patients is important because the cloudy and blurred vision that comes with cataracts can cause total vision loss if left untreated. Additionally, by repairing elderly patients’ vision, cataract treatment drastically decreases a patient’s risk of falling, which can cause a multitude of health problems from broken bones, concussions and a loss of independence. According to a study done by Australian researchers in 2018, cataract surgery in both eyes reduced elderly patients’ chance of falling by 73%!
Let us help!
At Mann Eye, we want to make sure your eyes are healthy and well-monitored for vision issues that may arise further down the line. Feel free to call us to schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience, or book online today!