The first time Rina noticed her father walking straight into the furniture, she thought nothing about it. But soon this became a daily activity with its occurrence increasing every time Rina observed her father! A worried Rina took her father to the doctor, who assured her that there was nothing seriously wrong with her father; instead he was suffering from a type of vision loss which is quite common in old age.
Rina’s father is just another senior citizen, amongst the lakhs of such senior Indians who suffer from complete or partial vision loss due to old age. Even though the doctor assured Rina that her father’s condition was curable, many others remain unawares about their parents conditions! Awareness regarding vision loss due to old age is quite low in India due to which many cases tend to go unnoticed and untreated too.
Following is a list of some common types of vision loss which affect people in their old age
Cataract:
One of the most common types of vision loss affecting people in their old age, cataract is known to affect 1 in every 5 adults globally! A cataract causes the lens of the eye to appear cloudy or opaque (varies in opacity). The beginning stages of an old age related cataract are marked by the occurrence of Myopia or near sightedness in your parents, followed by a yellowing of the lens which in turn results in the reduction in the perception of the Blue color. Cataract, if found in one eye greatly affects the other eye’s seeing ability, thereby leading a gradual vision loss in both the eyes! A Senior citizen’s suffering from Cataract is generally found to be extremely sensitive toward glares.
Treatment: Cataract is mostly treated by means of surgery. With 15.35 million cataract surgeries being performed in India annually, it is one of the most tried and tested, and safer methods of treating Cataract! A cataract surgery takes less than 15 minutes to be completed, and usually involves topical or local application of anesthesia, after which the infected lens is removed and a new lens is inserted in its place.
Macular Degeneration:
Macular degeneration is one of the major causes for vision loss in old age. This condition causes loss in the central vision field because of damage to the retina. There are two types of macular degeneration experienced by senior citizens i.e. ‘Dry’ and ‘Wet’, both of which affect the individuals central vision. Central vision is needed for reading, driving, seeing people’s faces, focusing on objects; this vision is blocked by damage to a small part of the retina, called the macula, leading to a curtailment in your parent’s social outings and overall confidence. Macular degeneration is characterized by the deposition of a yellowish material called ‘drusen’ in the macula (situated at the centre of the retina). Early detection is difficult as most people have good vision in the beginning of an age related macular degeneration and it also takes a collection of ‘drusen’ to cause complete vision loss in the individual.
Treatment: Unfortunately there is no ‘one’ widely accepted, total-cure guaranteeing treatment for Macular degeneration available in India or world over. However if your parent suffers from Macular Degeneration, ‘oral supplements’ containing beta carotene, zinc and vitamin E are highly recommended by doctors. Laser surgery is another way to treat macular degeneration; however it is not known to be completely successful and comes with the risk of side effects such as even more reduced vision. A recently developed treatment method known as ‘Photodynamic theory’ is known to bring a considerable degree of success while treating Macular degeneration.
Glaucoma:
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of vision loss worldwide, affecting people over 40 years of age. It is disease which affects the optic nerve, leading to vision loss which cannot be regained! There are two types of Glaucoma’s, open angle and closed angle glaucoma; senior citizens are mostly affected by the open angle glaucoma variety. Glaucoma is primarily caused by increase in the fluid pressure within the eye, which damages the eye. Open angle glaucoma causes the fluid pressure in the eye to gradually build up; this type of Glaucoma is known as the ‘sneak thief of vision loss’ as a considerable vision loss occurs before Glaucoma is diagnosed.
Treatment: Open angle Glaucoma treatment includes eye drops to either increase the fluid drainage or reduce fluid production in the eye. Oral supplements also come highly recommended from the doctors to treat open angle Glaucoma in old people. However one must exercise caution in the administration of these supplements as they can cause various side effects in the individual.
