Ageing & the Eyes
You probably noticed that the CAO recommends more frequent eye exams for adults over a certain age. This frequency is because our eyes may begin to deteriorate around the early to mid-40s, becoming more susceptible to age-related eye conditions and diseases that affect vision. These changes affect your:
Colour vision
The cells that control your colour vision become less sensitive, making it more difficult to distinguish some colours and shades.
Ability to adjust to changes in light:
It can take 2 to 3 times longer for your eyes to adapt to changing light conditions than it did when you were younger.
Tear production:
The tear glands in your eyes produce fewer tears as you get older. This lack of lubrication can lead to painful and irritating dry eyes.
Ability to adjust to dim lighting:
As you age, your pupils become less responsive to low light conditions, meaning you require more light to see clearly than when you were younger.
Lens flexibility:
Everyone eventually develops presbyopia. This eye condition occurs when your eye’s lens loses its ability to flex, which is required to focus on objects at varying distances. This inflexibility makes nearby objects appear out of focus.
Development of ocular diseases:
As you grow older, you become more susceptible to age-related eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.
