How Our Vision Changes Over One’s Lifetime
Kids and Teenagers Age 8-17
It is important to monitor children’s eye health with annual eye exams. As their bodies are developing, vision changes can occur. Often, nearsightedness will develop during these years. Children will experience increased visual demands as their schoolwork becomes more advanced and they begin driving toward the end of this timeframe. During these years, children will participate in sporting activities that require optimal vision and sometimes eye protection. Having a comprehensive eye examination ensures that their eyes are healthy and seeing to the best they can. Common visual treatments during this stage are glasses and contact lenses.
Young Adults Age 18-44
Now the eyes are fully developed and any prescription for eyeglasses and/or contact lenses is likely stable. As a result, one can consider laser vision correction. Procedures like LASIK and PRK are great options to reduce one’s dependence on glasses and contact lenses. They offer both economic and lifestyle benefits for the years to come. The type of procedure that is best for an individual is determined by a comprehensive evaluation of the health and shape of a person’s eyes and the level of correction needed.
Adults Age 45-60
In your mid 40s, you will start to notice some changes in your vision. Near vision often becomes blurry requiring the need for reading glasses or bifocals. This is a result of aging changes to the natural lens within the eye. Procedures like LASIK, PRK and Refractive Lens Exchange can provide patients with an alternative to readers, bifocals, or multi-focal/monovision contact lenses that many use to improve near vision. This allows patients to enjoy an active lifestyle without the dependence glasses and contact lenses.
Adults Age 60+
Those aging changes of the natural lens continue. Not only do you experience changes in your near vision, but quality of the vision will deteriorate as the development of a cataract occurs. The cataract limits the amount of light that enters the eye, resulting in “cloudy” vision. Glare and haloing around lights often accompanies these changes. Cataract surgery will remove this clouded lens and replace it with a lens implant that can restore one’s vision. There are several choices with cataract surgery. The option that is best for an individual is determined by a comprehensive examination of a person’s eye health and visual system, as well as discussion with what the individual’s visual needs are.
The doctors at Summit Eye Center provide comprehensive examinations that include the assessment of an individual’s visual system and the health of the eye. The results of this examination are used to tailor a treatment plan to best meet each individual’s lifestyle goals. You can visit our website, www.summiteyekc.com, call us at (816) 246-2111 or email us at