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Ages 60+: How to Preserve Your Vision for Safe Driving

Driving is a daily activity that brings us freedom and independence to navigate the world, but this skill can become increasingly difficult after the age of 60. These new vision challenges are often due to age-related vision changes that can cause vision loss if not addressed. Many of these changes are not immediately noticed by patients, but early detection is key for preserving eye health and slowing progression. Fear not, your local optometrist can help you keep your eyes in check for continued safe driving.

Dr. Jean Demoss, Board President at the Colorado Optometric Association explains, “In the world of optometry, our 60th birthday means that our risk increases for age-related eye diseases. Many of these conditions first show up without any symptoms. This makes your annual comprehensive eye exam with your optometrist critical for early detection of eye health issues and continued safe driving for years to come.”

An individual’s vision and eye health may also be impacted by non-eye-related health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, or medications. Many patients don’t know that when an optometrist performs a comprehensive exam, they are able to look for over 200 non-eye-related health conditions including cancer, autoimmune disorders, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, diabetes, brain tumors, and more.

Remember that online screeners and eye tests are never a substitute for an annual comprehensive eye exam with your eye doctor. Lower your risk of age-related vision problems and start preserving your vision today so you can keep driving safely by taking these actions today:

  • Attending your annual comprehensive eye exam is your best opportunity for early detection and management of age-related eye diseases and other health issues
  • Reduce the sun damage risk to your eyes when outdoors by wearing sunglasses that are UV blocking with a wide brimmed hat
  • Quit smoking and vaping as it increases the risk of eye diseases
  • Maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of glaucoma, high blood pressure, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, and other health and eye-health challenges
  • Eat a diet supportive for your eye health that is packed with leafy greens, fish high in omega-3s, eggs, fruits, berries, and nuts
  • Take the online Eye Health Risk Assessment for a better understanding of your current risk level

Common Symptoms of Age-related Eye Diseases
(please note that many age-related eye diseases can be present without symptoms):

  • Not seeing road signs clearly
  • Difficulty focusing on close objects
  • Trouble estimating speed and distance
  • Changes in color perception
  • Problems seeing in low light or at night
  • Trouble adapting to bright lights like headlights, sunlight or glare
  • Reduced peripheral vision1

Common Age-related Eye Diseases After Age 60 Include:

  • Age-related macular degeneration can cause central vision loss with peripheral vision remaining functional.
  • Cataracts are changes in color or clarity of the lens inside your eye that can cause blurry or decreased vision.
  • Diabetic retinopathy is caused by diabetes. Diabetes can damage blood vessels in the eye and can cause changes in your vision and permanent vision loss if severe.
  • Dry eye can cause fluctuating vision, chronic eye discomfort and pain and inability to participate in normal activities like watching movies or TV.
  • Glaucoma damages the optic nerve and can cause peripheral vision loss before noticeable symptoms occur.
  • Retinal detachment can occur from physical trauma to the eye or head, underlying health issues, inflammatory eye diseases or with no underlying reason. If undetected or treated can cause permanent vision loss.

1https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-health-for-life/senior-vision?sso=yd

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When K-12 Academic Challenges Arise, This Exam is Essential

The American Optometric Association reports that 1 in 4 children have a vision issue that negatively impacts learning. Even children with “perfect vision” can still struggle academically because other aspects of the visual system are not perfect. This makes 20/20 vision only one measure of the visual system. If the whole visual system is not functioning properly our kids may be missing out since 80% of all learning is visual! This makes a comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist essential for all children especially those experiencing learning issues.

When a child enters the classroom, they rely on basic visual skills to learn effectively. When one or more of these skills, like eye teaming or focusing, are not properly functioning learning becomes more effortful and often the child can’t keep up with the pace. As a child moves through each grade, the visual demands are greater as they take on more reading, writing, smaller print, higher standards of work, longer lectures, and more general stress. With the increase of these academic demands, it’s important to immediately address any suspected learning challenges with a comprehensive eye exam.

In fact, a comprehensive eye exam can prevent misdiagnosis or aid in diagnosis of other learning challenges like ADHD or dyslexia. Through a comprehensive eye exam, an optometrist can identify issues beyond refractive problems like nearsightedness. In fact, eye teaming and tracking issues are frequently seen in children with other learning disorders. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of the eye issues often help the child deal with the other learning issues.

Vision screeners that take place in schools, online or with a pediatrician are NOT a sufficient replacement for a comprehensive eye exam. The American Optometric Association reports that, “Even the most sophisticated vision screening tools, administered by the most highly trained screeners, miss one-third of children with eye or vision disorders.” That’s why optometrists recommend that students who have passed a vision screening still get a comprehensive eye exam for a full look into the child’s visual system.

Signs that may indicate a child has a vision problem include:

  • Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
  • Short attention span
  • Avoiding reading and other close activities
  • Regular headaches
  • Covering one eye
  • Tilting the head to one side
  • Holding reading materials close to the face
  • An eye turning in or out
  • Seeing double
  • Losing place when reading
  • Poor reading comprehension
  • Complaints of discomfort and fatigue1

Colorado’s doctors of optometry recommend that your child follows the schedule below for comprehensive eye exams with an eye doctor for proper pediatric eye care. This schedule ensures that the child’s visual system is hitting developmental milestones as they approach and participate in classroom learning.

Children’s Eye Exam Schedule:

  • 6 Months: First eye exam w/ optometrist (No-cost eye exams for infants 6-12 months through the InfantSEE national public health program)
  • 3 Years: Second eye exam w/ optometrist
  • 5 Years: Third eye exam w/ optometrist
  • 6+ Years: After age 5 eye exams should continue every 2 years for low-risk children (unless otherwise recommended by an optometrist).

1 https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-health-for-life/school-aged-vision?sso=y

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Signs a Child May Need Vision Therapy

Did you know that a child can have 20/20 vision (“perfect vision”) and still experience visual issues? This is because some individuals can see 20/20 through each eye, but the eyes don’t necessarily work well together to create a clear picture. Vision therapy can help improve the muscular systems of the eye for better teaming, tracking and focusing. It can also improve the eye-brain connection so that the child can interpret visual information more effectively. These therapies allow for proper overall visual development and can improve classroom learning.

Children are often not aware that they are experiencing vision challenges since they don’t have a point of reference for optimal functional vision. This makes regular comprehensive eye exams important for children as they approach and advance through classroom learning.

Misdiagnosis of visual challenges is also common, and these visual issues can look similar to the following ADHD symptoms:

  • Reading issues
  • Poor attention span in school
  • Frequent mistakes
  • Difficulty doing and completing schoolwork

The best way to determine if these academic challenges are due to visual issues is to see an optometrist who will assess how well the child’s eyes work together. Additionally, some individuals who have ADHD also have vision issues that can compound the ADHD symptoms when not addressed. This makes seeing an eye doctor important to fully understand if vision therapy can assist in alleviating some of the symptoms.

Symptoms that may indicate a need for vision therapy:

  • Skips words or lines when reading
  • Rubs eyes when reading or doing near work
  • Closes one eye with reading or near work
  • Holds reading material close to face or tilts head or paper
  • Sits close to the TV
  • Headaches from reading or homework
  • Good word reader, but poor reading comprehension
  • Poor handwriting
  • Blurred vision when transitioning from far to near vision
  • Homework takes a long time or is highly frustrating
  • Short attention span for schoolwork or reading

Colorado’s doctors of optometry recommend a comprehensive eye exam if a child is experiencing one or more of these symptoms. Early identification and intervention are key in preventing impact on school performance and student confidence. Vision therapy can also help avoid or improve outcomes of surgical intervention. If you think your child may need vision therapy, call your local optometrist for an appointment today or search for a qualified Colorado optometrist here.

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