Understanding how to slow or stop the damage and preserve one’s vision into older years is critical for having good vision for most of one’s life, SC. At Harrington Vision Center, we have provided residents of Florence, SC, with eye disease management services for many years. Read on to learn more.
Time Starts Ticking After 40
40 is the benchmark for when eye diseases start to become apparent. Before this point, vision is often taken for granted, working consistently and reliably day and night. However, once one’s 40s arrive, many common eye conditions start to make themselves known. The condition may very well have started earlier, but the first noticeable symptoms don’t show up until now.
Diabetic Retinopathy
A common symptom of type 2 diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which can cause severe vision degradation and even vision loss. The retina’s blood vessels become damaged and leak, which in turn creates material that blocks the lens. The most common signs of it tend to be a pain, blurry sight, and similar. Regular eye exams from an optometrist near me are the fastest way to spot this condition.
Hypertensive Retinopathy is similar but the primary cause is high blood pressure instead of diabetes. The condition creates pressure on the optic nerve and components, also contributing to poor vision, pain and blurriness.
Macular Degeneration
Dry or wet macular degeneration happens with aging and frequently contributes to loss of focus and near vision. The wet version is far more serious and has to be addressed as early as possible. Both result in vision loss over time, which can only be slowed with visual aids such as glasses and lenses. Some patients opt for surgery to restore focus after years of macular degeneration.
Cataracts
Involving a fogging-up effect on the eye lens, cataracts are a result of protein malfunctions in the lens, which build up over time and create a vision clouding or blockage. They typically become apparent after age 55 and are spotted with exams at an eye doctor near me.
Managing Eye Disease with an Optometrist Near Me
As noted earlier, some eye conditions cannot be cured, but they can be managed to preserve vision for as long as possible. Doing so benefits greatly from the help and guidance of an optometrist and regular eye exams. As the conditions develop, a doctor can guide the patient with treatments that stall or slow the disease’s progression, adding years of vision to a person’s overall life.
At Harrington Vision, our team works regularly with helping patients fend off eye disease conditions as much as possible. As an eye disease eye doctor near me, Harrington Vision continues to provide some of the best age-related vision care available in Florence SC. Call us to schedule an appointment.
