August is National Eye Exam Month! Has it been over a year since your senior parent had an eye exam? If so now is a fantastic time to get an eye appointment scheduled for them or take them to get an eye exam. If your senior loved one has been having trouble with their eyes or their vision, it’s time to consider how senior home care could help them remain safe around the house.
Often seniors think that vision problems or having problems with their eyes is just part of getting older. But that’s not necessarily the case. An eye exam is the only way to know for sure if your senior loved one has a condition that can be treated or if their problems are age-related. If your senior parent has any of these signs don’t wait to get them in for an eye exam:
Seniors that have diabetes have a high risk for developing retinopathy and other diabetes related eye and vision problems. Some doctors recommend that seniors who have diabetes get eye exams every six months instead of every year so that any developing problems with their eyes can be caught early and treated. If your senior loved one has diabetes ask their doctor if they should be seeing the eye doctor twice a year instead of once a year.
Flashers Or Floaters
If your senior loved one is seeing floaters or flashing light that might not indicate any type of ongoing problem if it’s not happening all the time. But if the flashes and floaters are a common occurrence and happen daily or even a few times during the week then your senior loved one needs an eye exam right away. Those can be indications that there is some retinal detachment so the eye doctor needs to do an exam right away.
Cloudy Vision
Cloudy vision in seniors often is a sign of cataracts. If cataracts are detected early it may be possible to treat them without surgery. And of course anytime surgery can be avoided it should be avoided, especially by seniors. If there is a history of cataracts in your family or if your senior loved one has had cataracts before it’s very important that they get regular eye exams so that any cataracts that develop can be treated as early as possible.
Redness, Itchy Eyes, Or Watery Eyes
Red eyes, itchy eyes, watery eyes, and otherwise irritated eyes can be the result of things like allergies or dust. They can also be the died effects of medication. But they can also be symptoms of a much bigger problem. If your senior parent has redness that won’t go away, or has red patches within their eye it’s time for a visit to the eye doctor. If they have itchy and watery eyes that don’t get better with over the counter allergy medications then it’s time to get an eye exam and see an allergist. Don’t put off getting an eye exam for your senior loved one just because they don’t think it’s a big deal.
Source
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8567-common-age-related-eye-problems
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Turlock, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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