Are you on the wrong side of 40? Know the eye problems that you may have

Dr Kartikeya Sangal

You can encounter vision problems as you age.  Certain issues like cloudy vision, ocular allergies, glaucoma, and dryness of the eyes can give you a tough time in your 40s. You will have to be watchful of the red flags and seek prompt medical attention when it comes to your eyes.  Do not miss your eye check-ups at all.

Have you scheduled your regular health check-up?  But, forget about your eye check-up? You will have to take care of your eyes just like the way you take care of your back, hand, ear, or nose problem. Yes, that’s right! Many illnesses can be detected during a comprehensive eye check-up.  Abnormalities spotted in the eye may signal problems in other parts of the body. Thus, you will have to be cautious and take care of your eyes. Here, we list out some common eye problems that one may encounter after 40.

• Loss of Peripheral Vision: If you fail to have the side-to-side vision you’re used to, this may be an early sign of glaucoma (that happens due to the  high pressure inside the eye).
• Cloudy Vision: Do you have trouble while reading your favorite book or watching the television? Then you can have cataracts. One gets cataract problems as the eye lens becomes more opaque as we get older.
• Distorted Vision: The effects of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in its early stages will often be neglected by people. AMD can cause vision loss in elderly people. Hence, this problem needs to be tackled at the right time.
• Diabetic retinopathy: If you have type-1 or type-2 diabetes, it’s important to have your eyes examined every year to check diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugar and hypertension take a toll on the tiny blood vessels that lead to your retina.
• Ocular Allergies: If you suffer from red, watery, itchy eyes, then this can be due to ocular allergies. Speak to the doctor regarding this and seek appropriate care.
• Presbyopia: It can also be called farsightedness, which is a very common vision change for people in their 40s. So, if you have trouble reading then just visit the ophthalmologist.

The take-home message: Once you turn 40, you will have to go for eye check-ups after every 6 months just like you go for a full-body check-up. This will help you to keep your vision intact and your eyes functioning at their best. After all, you should not take it lightly when it comes to your eyes.

Dr Kartikeya Sangal is an Ophthalmologist at Apollo Spectra Delhi (Nehru Enclave)