July 14, 2014 
Getting old will leave a mark on our eyes. Have your vision already been affected? Look at some of the most common symptoms…
The journal of the American Association of Retired Persons AARP made ??a list of changes that we will have to face during the course of aging.
Small letters are blurry
With the change of the shape, the lens also changes the focal distance of the eye so that it can focus on objects at different distances from the eye. A sharper image is created in this way, but as our body becomes less flexible with age, so does the lens of the eye. The lens encounters difficulties when changing its shape to accommodate the focal distance of objects that are close to us.
This problem can be solved with reading glasses or with bifocal or multifocal contact lenses. If it comes to the aforementioned change abruptly, this may signal a serious disease – senile macular degeneration of the eye, which is the most common cause of blindness in people over 50.
The colors fade
If you have noticed that the colors of objects around you are changing and taking on an “antique” look of brownish or yellowish tones, similar to photographs with sepia effect, this may mean that your eyes are affected with a cataract, i.e. a clouding of the lens of the eye which damages the perception of colors.
“It mostly occurs as a result of aging, but can also occur as a result of diabetes, trauma, taking certain medications (corticosteroids), radiation (x-ray, ultraviolet) or it can be inherited (congenital cataracts).
Cataract is present in 50 percent of people aged between 65 and 74 years, and in 70 percent of people over 75 years of age. The mechanism of cataract is not yet well known, but it is known that there is a buildup of the lens proteins which reduces the transparency of the lens”, wrote Dr. Nadežda Bilić, a specialist in ophthalmology, in her column Diagnostics and treatments of cataracts.
“In some cases of the initial cataract vision can be improved by wearing glasses (due to changes in the prescription caused by such clouding of the lens). The speed of cataract formation varies from person to person. Eventually, as clouding of the lens progresses, glasses cease to help.
There are no drugs that can prevent or slow down the formation of cataracts. The only treatment for cataract is surgery, i.e. removal of the lens, “said Dr. Nadežda Bilić.
Dry eyes
Over the years, your eyes lose their ability of proper lubrication with tears. Tears are composed of three things – fat, protein and water. If any ingredient is missing or its production decreases, the result will be weaker lubrication of the eyes. The reasons could be medications, menopause, exposure to excessively dry air or wind or some diseases. Dry eye often occurs in people suffering from rheumatism, diabetes or thyroid disease. Every fourth person after 65 years encounters this problem.
Dry eyes can be solved with artificial tears or the change of medication (with the permission of the doctor). Artificial tears replace the natural ones and ensure the artificial lubrication of eyes. However, some artificial tear preparations contain preservatives, which may lead to disturbed integrity of the tear film, and then the eyes are even more sensitive to these products. If you ever felt a burning sensation and tingling using artificial tears, ask your ophthalmologist to recommend preservative free artificial tears.
Floating particles
Floating particles or flashes can be a symptom of serious ocular problems. Studies have shown that one in seven patients with this syndrome have damage on the retina: a cut on it or a detached piece of the retina.
Floating particles look like three-dimensional dots or tufts moving to the periphery of the eye if you try to focus on them. In fact, it is the shade of pieces of proteins in aqueous humor (vitreous humor).
In most cases this is a harmless phenomenon that does not require a doctor’s attention. But if there is a multitude of floating particles, it is possible that there is a cut or a retinal detachment. If a cut is detected and treated by laser, doctors can prevent possible blindness. However, if the liquid gets under the retina making it to separate, then it is perhaps too late, said Dr. Sanjay Sharma, a professor of ophthalmology and epidemiology (Prevent Blindness due to floating particles).
Taken from: www.net.hr