Nobody wakes up one morning feeling that they can’t see anything properly.
Changes in your eyesight are subtle and there is always a possibility that they might even go unnoticed.
While it is normal to experience eyesight changes as you get older, sudden changes in your vision signal towards a more serious underlying issue. If you are someone above 40 and suddenly start to experience poor near vision, you might have presbyopia and need reading glasses.
However, the warning signs of deteriorating vision can also appear early in your life, even more so, if someone in your family has an eye problem.
Keeping an eye out for these signs leads to early treatment and better eye health. For instance, wearing prescription glasses while your refractive error is still new and mild will correct your vision problem and you may not even need to wear glasses all your life.
Here are some common signs that point towards a declining eye health:
Difficulty reading small prints
If the content on a food can or the menu card of a restaurant starts to appear blurry, do something about it while there is still time. One possibility behind this problem is that you have presbyopia. If this is not the case, then you probably have farsightedness or hyperopia. These are eye problems where close-up objects become blurred.
Frequently changing prescription
If you already have a refractive error and wear prescription glasses, it is normal if your prescription for men’s or women’s glasses changes after 2 or 3 years.
However, if it has started to change more frequently, this could be an indication that there is a more serious underlying eye condition such as cataract, age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.
Double vision
There are a number of eye conditions such as cataract, dry eyes, keratoconus or corneal dystrophies that can trigger this symptom. However, it could also be a sign of more severe health conditions such as brain injury, stroke, aneurysm, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.
This is why you must consult with an eye doctor if you start to have recurring episodes of double vision. They will give you a prescription and you can get your men’s glasses from an online retailer or an eyewear store near you.
Seeing halos around lights
Have you started to see halos when you look at a source of light? If yes, then you most probably have glaucoma. It is a serious visio problem where the condition of your optic nerves gets worse with time.
Glaucoma can occur due to reduced blood flow to your eye’s optic nerves. Or it has something to do with elevated blood pressure in your eyes.
Newly developed sensitivity to light
As you age, you develop higher risk of a severe eye condition known as cataract. This occurs when the proteins inside your crystalline lens cluster together turning the lens cloudy.
Cataract can cause sensitivity to light and you may experience a blurred vision when you look directly at a source of light. This condition does not disappear on its own so make sure you tell your eye doctor if you have developed sensitivity to light.
Night blindness
While the naked eye cannot see clearly at night or in low light conditions, if there is a problem inside your eye sockets, you won’t be able to see anything in dark.
While this is common in older people, if you are young and do not have the slightest visibility in the dark, you might have cataracts. So you better watch out for this sign.
There is a grey shadow in your eye
If you spot a grey shadow in your line of vision, don’t just sit around and wait for it to go away. Instead, seek immediate help from an eye doctor to avoid permanent vision loss. Having a grey shadow in your eye can be a sign of retinal detachment, which if not treated timely, will lead to complete vision loss.
Excessive screen time
Apart from these signs, if you spend about 6 to 8 hours on digital devices everyday, your retina is at a higher risk of being damaged.
These devices emit high-energy blue light that affects your retinal health and you may even have to cope up with eye diseases such as cataract and age-related macular degeneration early in your life. This situation can be easily avoided by using good-quality blue light blocking glasses.
The conclusion
Your eye health is of great importance to you. Knowing which signs signal deteriorating vision will help you take actions while there is still time. Watch out for these signs and make sure you seek immediate medical help to avoid eye health emergencies in the future.
