Growing older can be a time of renewed discovery. Afterall, scores of active seniors are now redefining what retirement can be. But even with all the potential for more quality years to get the most out of life, no one can say that growing older is always easy. On top of new aches and pains comes more chance for health complications. Not to mention different parts of bodies—the eyes, for one, that just seem to stop working as well as we age. That is why regular checkup and screenings are more and more important as people get older—and the eyes are no exception. Senior citizens are more prone than young people to chronic eye disorders such as glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration. With all three of these conditions early detection is critical.
Eye examination can also uncover symptoms of significance health problems—including carotid artery blockages, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. An annual eye checkup is a simple, low-stress way to keep tabs on your eye and overall health. The Doctors in the eye checking camps organized by our NGO look into the following aspects while examining the retina of senior citizens:
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Glaucoma (this is called the silent thief of sight) too often goes unnoticed before too much damage is done to save vision. It caused by too much pressure in the eyes.
- Cataracts: these are a nearly unavoidable part of ageing. Over time, the lens in the eyes can get cloudy and yellow but, updated eyewear prescriptions can often delay surgery, which is easy and low-risk.
- Diabetic Retinopathy: this affects diabetic patients and can rob the sight. The tiny blood vessels in the eye that feed the retina become damaged and allow fluids to seep into the eye.
- Refractive errors: vision changes and usually worsens with age. A yearly checkup will help keep vision sharp with updated eyewear prescriptions   Â
Many senior citizens regularly take advantage of such camps and we have decide to continue to arrange more such camps in future. Â
