Why You Should Prioritize Eye Exams After Age 60

If you’re over 60, you probably have already noticed changes in your eyes. You may be holding your phone further away to read your texts. You might have a little trouble reading the menu in a dim restaurant. Or you may be noticing even more concerning changes. Your eyes are aging, but it doesn’t mean you have to settle for declining vision.

Go beyond standard eye care with Altus Vision™ through AAA Northeast, an affordable, accessible way to get vision coverage in Massachusetts.

How Your Eyes Change

Like the rest of our bodies, our eyes change as we go through life. Many people over 40 experience presbyopia, the medical term for age-related farsightedness. This makes it more difficult for people to see things up close, and can turn everyday activities like reading, sewing or working at the computer into a struggle.

It may also become more difficult to see while driving at night. Taking a driving course for seniors may be helpful to deal with this issue.

With Altus Vision™, AAA Northeast members in Massachusetts can rely on a comprehensive vision plan that offers exams, savings on glasses and much more.

Increased Risks

Aging comes with some increased risks to your eye health. Here are just a few you should be on the lookout for.

Cataracts happen when the lens inside of your eye becomes cloudy, and they can be treated with surgery. Your vision may be blurry, or you may be seeing double.

Glaucoma is a disease that can damage the optic nerve, and it’s the leading cause of blindness for people over 60.

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, occurs when your retina’s macula is damaged. You may lose your central vision, while your peripheral vision may seem normal.

All of these risks are serious and can be caught early with regular eye exams. AAA members in Massachusetts can maintain regular eye care, affordably, with Altus Vision™.

Eye Care Is Health Care

Did you know that routine eye exams can also detect a variety of general health conditions, including:

Diabetes
High blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease
Thyroid disease
Cancers of the blood, tissue or skin
Vitamin deficiencies

That’s another great reason to take advantage of the added protection offered by a vision plan.

Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Little changes can make a big difference for your eyes. One small way to keep your eyes healthy is to protect them from UV rays while you’re out and about. Sunglasses or a baseball cap are perfect for minimizing exposure.

Another simple trick is to maintain your health beyond your eyes. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and avoid smoking. These behaviors can help mitigate the risks of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And, of course, the best thing you can do for your eyes is to get regular, comprehensive eye exams. Some eye conditions, like glaucoma, aren’t immediately noticeable in your day-to-day life. It takes an ophthalmologist to really see what’s going on. In addition to keeping your eyes healthy, eye exams can also show early signs of other health concerns, like diabetes or stroke.

If you need corrective lenses, wear them. Straining your eyes over time can cause painful headaches and won’t help your vision in the long run. Just make sure your prescription is up to date.

Altus Vision™ provides AAA Northeast members in Massachusetts a vision plan with features that go beyond standard eye care, in partnership with VSP® Vision Care, the largest vision benefits company in the US. Enroll now.