Baby Boomers are reaching the age where plans for retirement in tropical locations might be in sight, but will they be able to see paradise when they get there?
It is estimated by the Center for Disease Control that by 2050, 18 million people over the age of 50 are expected to have early age-related macular degeneration. In addition, currently more than 15 million Americans over the age of 65 have a cataract in one or both eyes – and this number is expected to rise to more than 30 million by 2020. Another striking figure is the increased rate of glaucoma in adults over the age of 85. With the Baby Boomers entering this age group within the next decade, the amount of ongoing care needed to treat these chronic eye diseases is alarming.
Individuals of all ages should be taking their eye health seriously with annual exams, but seniors are especially at risk when cataract and glaucoma can have an enormously negative impact on their quality of life. Thankfully, medical advances have made on-going treatments options (like specialized laser treatment and microscopic implantable tubes) more widely accessible, but the importance of preventative eye care – like regular dilated eye exams every 1-2 years – in individuals over the age of 50 cannot be stressed enough.
Vision loss among seniors is linked to a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions, falls and hip fractures, and even premature death. As Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. details, “Waiting until vision loss is significant before presenting to your eye doctor may miss the opportunity to prevent permanent loss, increase functional vision to prevent accidents while driving, and improve a person’s overall well-being. For this reason, most people over the age of 50 should consider a regular eye exam every one to two years.”
Take preventative measures for your eye health and schedule an exam with the ophthalmologists at the Eye Clinic of Austin today.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration
https://digitaljournal.com/pr/1725890