Seniors Should Not Overlook the Importance of Routine Eye Exams
Author: Debbie Humphrey
I recently attended a beautiful outdoor wedding, and I left my sunglasses in the car. It was mid-afternoon, with the sun high in the sky shining brightly on the nuptials. My eyes began watering, and focusing became more difficult. I used the wedding program to help shade my eyes, but tears kept flowing, and I often had to close them because the brightness impacted my vision.
When a few clouds blocked the powerful sunrays, I was able to look around at the guests in attendance. Most of the young adults were wearing sunglasses, while many seniors were not. This sparked my concern. The sun and other factors can cause damage to vision as we age, but so can optical health conditions. The best way to protect our vision is through routine eye exams.
Vision health is as important to seniors as regular physical exams and mental health management.
Vision Today in Jacksonville explains, “People often overlook the crucial aspect of their overall systemic health: their eye health. With the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to forget about scheduling those all-important annual eye exams. These exams are not just about determining if you need glasses or an update to your prescription; they're vital for detecting eye conditions early, preventing vision loss, and even revealing signs of underlying systemic health issues.”
Considering that many of our clients contend with visual impairment due to cataracts, and August is Eye Exam Awareness Month, seniors should not overlook the importance of routine eye exams.
Detecting Eye Conditions Early
Annual eye exams are critical to detecting eye conditions early. These conditions include glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts, which typically have no symptoms in their early stages, so routine check-ups allow eye care professionals to detect these conditions early so they can be treated to reduce the risk of vision loss.
Glaucoma. Increased pressure inside the eye primarily causes this condition, which can damage the optic nerve. The exact cause is unknown, but risk factors include age, a family history of the condition, diabetes, and severe myopia.
Glaucoma presents with no symptoms early on, but as the condition progresses, peripheral vision decreases, which leads to tunnel vision. In acute cases, symptoms may include severe eye pain, headache, blurred vision, and halos around lights.
If glaucoma is detected, treatment plans may call for prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment, or surgery to lower the intraocular pressure to prevent further damage to the optic nerve.
Macular Degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is caused by the aging and thinning of the macular tissues, the deposit of drusen, or leakage from blood vessels under the retina. Risk factors include age, genetics, smoking, and high blood pressure.
Symptoms include blurred or reduced central vision, difficulty reading or recognizing faces, and straight lines appearing wavy. Because AMD does not affect peripheral vision, it rarely causes total blindness. While there is no cure, treatment options like anti-VEGF injections, laser therapy, and vitamins can slow progression and improve vision quality.
Cataracts. Cataracts occur when aging or injury changes the tissue that comprises the lens. Some inherited genetic disorders, other eye conditions, past eye surgery, or conditions like diabetes can increase the risk of developing cataracts.
Cataracts cause cloudy, blurred, or dim vision, sensitivity to light and glare, a need for brighter light when reading, seeing halos around lights, frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions, and fading or yellowing of colors. When cataracts interfere with daily activities, surgery to replace the cloudy lens with an artificial lens is a common and effective treatment to restore clear vision.
Preventative Care Through Eye Exams
Aside from early detection of eye conditions, eye exams are a measure of prevention. Vision exams help identify risk factors for eye diseases before they develop, which allows for lifestyle adjustments or treatments to prevent them. Moreover, eye exams ensure that vision prescriptions are up to date to prevent eye strain and promote optimal visual health.
“Annual eye exams can also save a lot more than your vision. As the first place that health care professionals can begin to see signs of systemic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, they can be potentially lifesaving,” says Vision Today.
They continued, “Regular exams are essential for preserving vision for seniors at higher risk for several eye diseases. People with diabetes or a family history of eye diseases should pay particular attention to their eye health and adhere strictly to annual exams.”
Because we live in the Sunshine State, we have a large population of seniors, and too much time in the sun may cause cataracts or other eye conditions to develop, I encourage you to keep a close eye on your vision health (pun intended), by visiting your healthcare provider or optometrist regularly.
The exceptional caregivers I employ at Home Helpers regularly assist seniors with visual impairments due to cataracts or other ocular conditions, and they are poised to provide transportation assistance to eye exams and other doctor appointments.
If a compassionate caregiver can provide home care services that would benefit you or a senior you love, I am happy to offer a FREE Consultation to discuss specific needs and create a personalized care plan to help make life easier for the visually impaired in Pinellas and West Pasco Counties.
We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have been ranked among the Activated Insights Top 100 Leaders in Experience for home care providers in 2025 and to have received the Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice, the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice, and the Best of Home Care® Leader in Experience Awards in 2025, along with the Caring Super Star 2025 Award.
Home Helpers Clearwater proudly serves male and female seniors, veterans, and differently abled individuals in Bayonet Point, Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin, Gulfport, Holiday, Hudson, Largo, Madeira Beach, New Port Richey, North Redington Beach, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Pass A Grille, Pass A Grille Beach, Port Richey, Redington Shores, Safety Harbor, Saint Petersburg, Seminole, South Pasadena, Tarpon Springs, Tierra Verde, Treasure Island, Trinity, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier® 727.942.2539