Out of all the five senses, one isn’t necessarily better than the rest, but its absence would make life hard to navigate—vision. Vision is relatively necessary to get around the world today, and seeing it decline over time can be tough. Thankfully, medical professionals can help. Continue reading to learn about some warning signs that vision may be declining in your patients.
Changes in Prescription
It’s common to have eye prescription changes, and for children, things settle down after they reach adulthood. As they enter their 40s and 50s, they may experience a little deterioration, but it happens over time. If you notice your patients having frequent changes in their prescription, they may have rapidly worsening vision. This change could be caused by a more serious condition, such as cataracts or macular degeneration.
Difficult Reading Smaller Things
A common symptom of poor vision is the inability to read things in the fine print. Many people need reading glasses as they age because their fine focusing ability starts to fail. This condition is known as presbyopia and typically affects people in their 40s. The lens in the eye becomes stiff, or the muscles weaken. Presbyopia may cause a person to lean in close to read or do their work.
Double Vision
Double vision is another warning sign of vision loss you must be on the lookout for with your patients. Multiple different conditions can cause double vision, such as:
- Corneal dystrophies
- Dry eyes
- Cataracts
- Keratoconus
Each requires different diagnoses and care, so it’s important that your patients know to contact you immediately if they experience double vision. In addition to these eye disorders, double vision can signify a stroke or an aneurysm.
Everything Is Darker
Everything being slightly darker is another warning sign that your patients’ vision may be declining. Pupils are supposed to dilate in the darkness so people can better recognize surrounding light. As people age, their pupils dilate less, and it always seems there is never enough light. Dark vision is a sign of aging, but it can also mean your patients may be developing cataracts that can reduce the amount of light entering their eyes.
Shadows and Halos
Floaters—small spots or floating dots—are common things many people can see. These floaters show up as shadows and halos and are relatively harmless. If your patients suddenly develop a lot of them, the floaters can obscure their vision. A sudden onset of floaters is typically a sign of retinal detachment, and you should encourage your patients to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Watch out for these different declining vision warning signs in your patients so you can help them get the care they need. Ophthalmologists and eye doctors know everything there is to know about eyes. At Automated Ophthalmics, we give you all the tools you need, like disposable tonometer tips, to see what’s going on with your patients’ vision and give them the care they need!