Annual Eye Exams Recommended for Seniors Age 65 and Older

Noted optometrist Dr. Christopher James recommends seniors 65 and older get annual eye exams to manage and treat vision issues, reports the Kokomo Perspective . He says presbyopia, or the loss of ability to focus up close, can start as early as the late 30s. The next common eye issue that can develop is cataracts. In the early stages, the eye slowly will develop a cloudiness to it, and some people have already had a cataract removed by age 65. Not everyone with cataracts undergoes surgery, unless the cloudiness causes too much blurriness and difficulty focusing. Macular degeneration also is a common eye ailment for seniors, and people have a one in five risk of developing this condition by age 65. Macular degeneration is manageable if it is detected during an eye exam, with James recommending retinal examinations every three to six months.