Potential vision problems can appear at any age. This is why it is so important to have regular eye exams and to understand how vision changes over time.
Here are some of the most common vision problems:
Vision after 40 At this age, vision begins to deteriorate and potentially serious vision problems can appear. Unfortunately, signs and symptoms often go unnoticed until it is too late. This can lead to vision loss and even blindness. This is why it is important to have regular eye exams.
Vision after 60 As you age, the risk of serious vision problems can greatly increase. These visual problems can greatly affect the quality of life, especially in patients over 60 years of age, who are more likely to develop diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts. Regular eye exams allow for early detection and treatment of many problems affecting patients 60 and older.
Children's vision The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that starting at six months of age, children have an eye exam at least once a year to ensure their eyes are healthy. Child-friendly eye exams are particularly important during development. Studies show that nearly 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. And often, their parents don't realize it. Studies also show a direct relationship between poor academic performance and uncorrected vision problems.
Myopia Myopia is one of the most common vision disorders in the Canadian population. A person with myopia sees well up close, but has more difficulty when objects are far away. Squinting, eye strain, and headaches can be symptoms of uncorrected myopia.
Myopia is caused by an eyeball that is too long or by a slight curvature of the cornea or lens, which imbalances the focusing power of the eye and causes light to strike a point in front of the retina, rather than directly on its surface.
In most cases, myopia appears in childhood.
Furthermore, if one or both of your parents are myopic, it is likely that you are too. Myopia can worsen with age, but generally stabilizes in adulthood.
It is quite easy to detect and treat with contact lenses or glasses.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia is a common and easily treatable vision disorder. A hyperopic person has difficulty seeing objects up close. Symptoms of uncorrected hyperopia can also include squinting, eye strain, and headaches.
Hyperopia is caused by an eyeball that is too short or a cornea that does not have the correct curve. Light entering the eye is not focused correctly, resulting in blurry images when looking at an object up close.
In most cases, hyperopia manifests in early childhood. Furthermore, if one or both of your parents are myopic, you are more likely to be as well. Hyperopia can worsen with age, but generally stabilizes in adulthood. It is easily detected and can be treated with reading glasses and contact lenses.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a common and relatively easy-to-treat vision disorder that causes blurry and unfocused vision when looking at objects up close or far away. The shape of the cornea or lens is irregular, which prevents light from focusing correctly on the retina (the part of the eye that transmits visual images to the brain).
Astigmatism is often observed in people who suffer from other vision disorders, such as myopia and hyperopia. Together, these three vision problems are often called "refractive errors" because they affect how the eyes bend or "refract" light.
While the exact causes of astigmatism are unknown, research suggests that it is most likely hereditary and present from birth. In fact, most people have some degree of astigmatism, but it is when this anomaly causes a loss of focus or leads to discomfort and headaches that it needs to be treated.
Astigmatism is easily detected and can be treated with glasses and contact lenses. In most cases, we can even offer you Freeform Internal Surface lenses, custom-made for you, which will provide sharper and more precise vision than traditional lenses.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a common vision disorder in which the eye's lens loses its flexibility, making it difficult to focus on nearby objects. While for many patients, presbyopia seems to appear suddenly, the loss of lens flexibility actually occurs over several years and usually becomes noticeable around the age of 40. It is part of the natural aging process.
Presbyopia can also complicate other common vision disorders such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. If you have noticed that your vision is blurrier when reading or that you have started to experience headaches and eye strain when looking at objects up close, these could be warning signs of presbyopia.
Presbyopia is quite easy to detect and can be treated with glasses, bifocal or trifocal glasses, and contact lenses. Wearing your glasses for reading or working on the computer may be sufficient, but you may also find that wearing them permanently is very convenient and makes your vision clearer.
