Your eyes are one of the primary ways you take in information from the world around you, whether you’re marveling at a spectacular sunset or looking before you cross the street to make sure you don’t get hit by a passing car.
Since your eyes play an integral part in every aspect of your life, it’s important to make sure they stay in optimal health. Do you know how?
As you age, naturally occurring changes to your eyes may affect your vision or your comfort. Your eyes may get dry or irritated, or you may notice that you don’t see as well as you once used to. Although bothersome, these are normal signs of aging, and most issues can be addressed with medication, corrective lenses or habit changes.
But sometimes, you may notice differences in how your eyes work or how they look that are not attributable to normal aging. If you have unusual symptoms, see a doctor for further evaluation.
It’s also a good idea to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam done every year, especially as you age. This is more than just taking a vision test to see if you need a new pair of glasses. By dilating your pupils, an optometrist can see deep into your eyes and to spot any potential problems that may affect your vision or the health of your eyes.
Not sure what to look out for that may indicate you have a potentially serious eye problem? Don’t ignore these symptoms:
- Pain, itching, burning or pressure in and around your eyes
- Seeing redness in the whites of the eyes
- Swelling or redness around the eyes
- Excess discharge or tearing in the eyes
- Change in iris color
- Having oddly sized pupils
- Pupils that look milky or opaque
- Inability to close an eyelid or developing a bump on the eyelid that’s growing
- Inability to move eyes together or having crossed eyes
Also, be aware of these changes to your vision:
- Trouble focusing on near or distant objects
- Seeing spots in the center of your field of vision
- Straight lines look wavy or crooked
- Seeing halos (colored circles around lights)
- Seeing floaters, flashers or a dark veil over a portion of your vision
- Trouble adjusting to dark rooms
- Unusual sensitivity to light or glare
- Colors look faded
- Double, hazy, blurred or cloudy vision
- Loss of peripheral (side) vision
- Sudden loss of vision
Many different conditions can affect your eyes, and some can have serious consequences if not treated, such as vision loss. If you experience any unusual eye symptoms, see a doctor for further evaluation. The health of your eyes is too important to ignore.
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Date Last Reviewed: January 18, 2024
Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor
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