Yes, Getting Proper Eye Care Can Help Reduce the Risk of Vision Loss: Elder Care Considerations
Taking care of one’s health involves many aspects, including eye care. Seeing an eye care professional for a regular exam at least every two years is recommended by most eye doctors. The older people get, the more at risk they are of developing certain conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, to name the most common three. If that’s the situation, it may be recommended that seniors visit their eye doctor more frequently than that.
Vision loss can have a tremendous impact on people. It can affect their ability to drive, take part in various activities, and even remain safe within the comfort of their own home. For anyone who doesn’t fully understand and appreciate the value of being able to see clearly, especially within the comfort of their own home, they should take a blindfold, cover their eyes, turn out all the lights, and try to navigate around the house. Just because you know where everything is, essentially, that doesn’t make it very easy to walk around without bumping into walls, door frames, cracking a shin on the coffee table, and much more.
June is Cataract Awareness Month and while this is a vision problem that is readily treatable, especially with laser surgery that can remove the affected portion of the lens, if an individual does not seek professional medical care for cataracts as they develop, it could to lead to a permanent level of vision loss.
Cataracts are essentially a condition in which the eye becomes progressively opaque. This can result in blurred vision, making it difficult to see objects in the distance and even close up. How would a person know they are developing cataracts?
If the individual relying on elder care begins to show signs of having difficulty seeing clearly, it could be related to a number of factors. Very often a telltale sign of cataracts would be the lens beginning to appear “milky.” This milky appearance may not be readily apparent during the earlier stages of cataracts as they develop, but will become progressively worse over time.
To help try and understand exactly what this may feel like to the person developing cataracts, imagine looking through a clear window that, over time, becomes dirtier. Each day it may become progressively filthier and covered in dirt and other materials, and that’s going make it more difficult to see what’s beyond the glass. For example, a bird that regularly flies to the feeder may become more difficult to discern and distinguish from others.
If a people are having any difficulty with their vision, they shouldn’t pass it off as the natural process of aging; they should make an appointment and see their eye care professional as soon as possible. Cataracts can be treated when they are detected early enough.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in the Denver Metro Area, please call and speak to the caring staff at Talem Home Care. Call today at (720) 797-8548.
