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Ageing And Vision Loss: Check These Useful Insights

Ageing causes a few changes in vision which mostly can be corrected by using corrective eyeglasses and improved lighting. However, some issues are serious and warrant medical attention. Ageing can cause many eye complications such as 

  • Losing the ability to see clearly.
  • Difficulty in differentiating between colours.
  • Taking time to adjust to different levels of light.
  • Dry eyes 
  • Tearing 

Ageing can cause some or other eye issues and the best way to prevent or handle them is to get eyes examined regularly.  The reason being there are many eye diseases that do not show any early symptoms. By the time a change in vision becomes noticeable, the disease would have progressed. Regular eye exams can spot the problems in their early stage.

Some of the age-related eye diseases are

  • Cataracts: It is a medical condition in which a person’s lens becomes cloudy and appears like frosted ice. Lenses of the eyes become hard and cloudy and do not allow all the coming light rays to pass through it and reach to the back of the eye to form an image on the retina. Some of the light gets scattered in different directions by the cloudy lens. It may also cause redness, tearing, blurriness, a halo around the objects in the eye. For the removal of the cloudy lens, surgery is the best option. During the surgery, the damaged natural lens is replaced with a new artificial lens. 
  • Glaucoma: It is an eye condition that affects the optic nerve by excessive pressure in the eye. The optic nerve is an important part of the eye that helps in transferring the sensory information to the brain in the electrical impulses. If it is not treated on time then it may cause permanent vision loss. To identify glaucoma, the doctor will inspect the eyes to see the condition of the optic nerve, measure the pressure and test the visual field. Glaucoma treatment includes a combination of eye drops, oral prescriptions, laser treatment or medical procedures.
  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can affect the central vision needed to see objects clearly and to do common activities such as driving and reading. Though there’s no cure for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with timely treatment the disease can be slowed down and vision loss can be prevented.  
  • Diabetic retinopathy: This problem occurs when the blood vessels in the retina get damaged. In diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels leak and release fluid, causing blurred vision. As the condition progresses, the patient may see floaters and dark spots. Advanced cases of diabetic retinopathy need laser surgery but mild cases can be managed by controlling diabetes. 
  • Conjunctivitis: It causes redness, itching, burning or tearing in the eyes. It can happen in all age groups but elderly people are more prone to irritants or allergies. It can be caused by bacteria or viral infection.

Ageing causes many eye-related issues. Some of these issues are difficult to spot. The best way to timely detect eye conditions is to get your eyes examined once a year. If you are looking for an eye hospital in Kolkata, visit Disha Eye Hospitals. We provide the best possible patient care at affordable rates. 

 

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Pregnancy & Vision Problems: 6 Things You Need To Know

Pregnancy might invite a range of problems that you are expected to live with; that could be morning sickness, swelling in the feet, back pain or mood swings. Unexpected changes in vision may come across as a surprise to you. Although vision changes are a normal part of a healthy pregnancy, they could also signal an underlying problem. Therefore, it is important not to neglect the vision changes that you experience.

Below are some of the important points to know about pregnancy-related vision problems:

1. Blurry vision can signal gestational diabetes

If you experience blurry vision, inability to see fine details during pregnancy, you may have gestational diabetes (pregnancy-related diabetes). Gestational diabetes occurs as a result of the rise in blood sugar levels, which is typical of most pregnancies.

Pregnancy & Vision Problems 6 things you need to know

In most cases of pregnancy, gestational diabetes causes little to no vision-related symptoms. If you experience blurry vision or low vision during pregnancy, make sure to consult an eye doctor. Residents of West Bengal can choose to book an appointment at the nearest Disha Eye Hospital and consult one of their highly-qualified eye specialists to receive diagnosis or treatment.

2. Preeclampsia during pregnancy can cause vision problems

Preeclampsia is one of the most serious pregnancy-related problems. It causes swelling in the hands and feet and high blood pressure. Vision problems such as blurry vision, light sensitivity, and temporary vision loss are some of the common and major complications of preeclampsia.

If left untreated or poorly treated, preeclampsia can also cause other serious complications such as bleeding from the liver, heart failure, seizure, stroke, and fluid build-up in the chest.

3. Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common pregnancy-related vision problems

Dry eyes occur when there is insufficient moisture in the eyes. Hormonal changes that are associated with pregnancy cause dry eyes. Most pregnant women experience significant hormonal changes during the end of their first trimester. This means that you may experience dry eye symptoms such as eye redness and eye irritation as you approach the end of your first trimester. Other dry eyes symptoms that may appear include the sensation of something getting stuck in the eye, low night vision, and difficulty in wearing contact lenses.

4. Sensitivity to light can be linked to pregnancy-related migraine

Vision sensitivity to bright lights can occur as one of the primary symptoms of migraine associated with pregnancy. Hyperactivity of brain cells during pregnancy is linked to the onset of migraine headaches.

Some of the common pregnancy-related problems such as fatigue, stress, and mood swings can act as a trigger for migraine headaches. In some cases, migraine headaches are confused with headaches caused by preeclampsia.

5. Refractive changes can occur later in pregnancy

In many late-pregnancy cases, changes in the cornea’s curvature and thickness may occur. This could cause temporary alterations in refraction and result in a temporary refractive error. Most women who develop refractive error during pregnancy experience improvements in the condition after childbirth.

6. Hypotony can occur in some pregnancy cases

Hypotony, or low intraocular pressure (pressure in the eyes), may occur during the stages of late pregnancy. Pregnant women who have ocular hypertension may experience a significant drop in intraocular pressure. Refractive error and decreased overall vision are two of the primary symptoms of hypotony.

Get your pregnancy-related vision changes diagnosed at Disha Eye Hospitals

To ensure that you do not experience vision complications during, and after pregnancy, get your eye health thoroughly checked. With the modern diagnostic procedures that the team of doctors at Disha employs, you can get a clear assessment of your general eye health during pregnancy.