As with all parts of the human body, the structures that make up your eyes can degrade through the years. In cases of trauma or disease, this can result in rapid vision loss, whereas through natural aging, the impacts are generally experienced over time. Here’s an overview of how some of those structures are impacted.

Cornea

The clear, dome-shaped front surface of your eye, known as the cornea, accounts for 65-75% of the eye's ability to focus. When you’re young, the cornea is typically smooth, allowing light to travel unimpeded to the eye lens. Through the years, exposure to environmental factors like smoke, chemicals and allergens can result in tiny scratches and imperfections on the cornea, fragmenting and distorting the incoming light. Additionally, the thin layer of tears that coats and protects the cornea can begin to breakdown, resulting in dry eye syndrome. 

Eye Lens

After passing through the cornea, light reaches the eye lens, which accounts for the remaining 25-35% of your ability to focus. By flexing, the lens adjusts your vision to focus on objects either nearby or farther away. As we age, the lens becomes less pliable, limiting your focal ability, a condition called presbyopia. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in your 40’s and gets worse into your 60’s. For people without other vision challenges, reading glasses may be enough to overcome presbyopia limitations. Others may require bifocal or progressive lens eyeglasses. The eye lens can also become cloudy due to the breakdown in its protein structure. This is what we know as cataracts, for which an artificial lens implant is the only treatment option. 

Retina and Optic Nerve

Light from the eye lens is relayed to the retina, which translates it into neural signals, which are then transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. In the absence of disease, the retina and optic nerve do not degrade much with age. Some age-related eye diseases, however, can damage these eye structures to the point of blindness. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and glaucoma are both serious conditions. Sadly, ARMD is not correctable, but studies show you can take steps to slow the progression of the disease. Some forms of glaucoma, on the other hand, can be treated, if diagnosed early enough.

As we age, it’s increasingly important to have regular comprehensive eye exams. The Mayo Clinic recommends eye exams every 2-4 years for people in their 40’s to mid-50’s, every 1-3 years for people in their mid-50’s to mid-60’s and every 1-2 years for people age 65 and older. These exams can help detect problems early, giving you the best chance of maintaining healthy vision.

If it’s time for you or someone you love to have an eye exam, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.