It’s Time For Your Senior Parent To Get An Eye Exam
August is National Eye Exam Month and if your senior parent hasn’t had an eye exam yet this year, or if it’s been more than year since they had an eye exam, now is the time to get an eye exam scheduled. Anyone over the age of 65 should be getting their eyes checked at least once a year. As seniors get older they are more likely to develop vision problems and eye changes that need treatment from an ophthalmologist.
If your senior loved one no longer drives or is having vision problems and shouldn’t drive but you can’t take them to get an eye exam senior home care can help. Senior home care includes many services that will help seniors with day to day tasks including transportation to things like medical appointments, salon visits, or shopping. Early diagnosis and treatment of conditions like these can help seniors keep their vision strong and their eyes healthy as they get older:
Dry Eye
Senior Care Northbrook, IL: Eye Exams
Dry eye is something that most seniors don’t even realize can be treated. Dry eye is not just a normal part of aging. Seniors who have dry eyes may have itchy eyes or experiencing soreness or a burning feeling in their eyes. Medication, eye drops, and running a humidifier in the house can all help manage the symptoms of dry eyes and make seniors feel more comfortable. Usually dry eye doesn’t affect a senior’s vision but in severe cases it can make seniors more sensitive to light and make it difficult for them to do things like drive.
Cataracts
It’s very common for seniors to develop cataracts as they get older. Cataracts are films that form over the lens of the eye making it difficult to see and causing cloudy and dark vision. Seniors may get a cataract in one eye or get them in both eyes. When cataracts are detected early they can be treated with medication that may dissolve them. But if cataracts become advanced they need to removed surgically. That’s why it’s important for seniors to get an eye exam at least once a year. The eye doctor will look to see if there are any signs of cataracts that need to be treated.
Retinopathy And Other Disorders
Some medical conditions like diabetes can cause problems with the eyes. Diabetes can cause retinopathy, which can cause damage to the optic nerve and blindness. If your senior parent has diabetes they should be seeing an eye doctor for an exam at least once a year and possibly every six months.
But other medical conditions and some medications can cause vision problems and eye changes. So if your senior loved one is complaining of vision changes, pain in their eyes, or a feeling like their eyes are tried often then you should get your senior loved one to an eye doctor for an eye exam soon. Check with your senior parent’s insurance because many insurers will cover the cost of vision care for seniors.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care in Northbrook, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8567-common-age-related-eye-problems
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