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  • Three middle-aged adult couples

    Eye Health Information for Adults 40 to 65

    Leer en Español:
    Información de salud ocular para adultos de 40 a 65 años
    Written By: Kierstan Boyd
    Reviewed By: J Kevin McKinney MD
    Sep. 02, 2020

    Between the ages of 40 and 65, our eyes can go through significant changes.

    The most common change most people notice is the need to hold reading materials farther away from their eyes. Called presbyopia, nearly everyone experiences this increasing farsightedness that usually begins in their late-30s to mid-40s. The eye’s lens (located behind the pupil) becomes less flexible with age, making it harder to read and perform other near tasks. If presbyopia is left uncorrected, you may find your eyes tire easily and you may get headaches.

    Most people need reading glasses or another vision correction strategy to deal with presbyopia. Also, people who have cataracts removed (usually a bit later in life) may choose to have intraocular lenses (IOLs) that correct for presbyopia.

    Catch Early Signs of Eye Disease Now

    By age 65, one in three Americans will have a vision-impairing eye disease. However, early signs of these eye diseases can begin in midlife, though they may not be noticeable right away. The earlier these diseases are found and treatment begins, the better the chance of preserving good vision.

    It’s very important to get a baseline comprehensive eye exam at age 40, even for people who have no symptoms or known risk factors for eye disease. A comprehensive exam will look for signs of:

    • cataract
    • glaucoma
    • diabetic retinopathy
    • age-related macular degeneration 

    People who are diabetic or pre-diabetic need to have annual eye exams and work with their doctors to control their weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

    Your ophthalmologist will recommend follow-up exams based on your family history and the results of the baseline exam.

    Next

    Tips for Eye Health in Adults 40 to 65

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