Page 146 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

130 • Chapter 5

The lens of the eye begins to stiffen in middle childhood,
and we begin to focus less precisely. The decline is gradual
and may not be noticed until the mid-thirties or mid-forties.
For some people, this condition is corrected by glasses,
contact lenses, or laser surgery. For declines in near- and far-
sighted vision, glasses or contacts are compensation mecha-
nisms. If you have progressed to bifocal prescriptions, you
might consider monovision. This is a technique where a per-
son wears two different lenses, one for nearsightedness and
one for farsightedness. It takes most people approximately
seven to 10 days to adjust, although a few people never ad-
just. If an eye exam reveals that you need a simple pair of
reading glasses, you can get them at a drugstore. Just be
sure that you get a professional exam, instead of self-pre-
scribing, so that you can be checked for conditions such as
glaucoma.
Other changes in vision can be attributed to diseases such
as glaucoma, cataracts, or macular degeneration. Regular eye
examinations allow for early detection that can stop or slow
disease progression. Glaucoma damages peripheral vision first
and then moves on to destroy central vision. Glaucoma is the
result of pressure on the optic nerve. Medicated eyedrops
have been the most popular and prevalent treatment, but re-
cently laser surgery has been successful as a treatment. Glau-
coma sometimes is referred to as a silent blinder. By the time
you realize that something is wrong, the disease has pro-
gressed to an advanced stage. If you have a family history of
glaucoma, are African-American, or are diabetic, your
chances of developing glaucoma are higher than normal, and
you should be especially conscientious about scheduling
yearly eye exams.
Macular degeneration affects the central part of the retina,
which allows you to see details. Peripheral vision remains in-
tact. Some of the symptoms are dark spots in the center of the
vision area, blurring, and line distortion. Eye specialists often
recommend special vitamins to combat this disease. Dark
green leafy vegetables are high in carotenoids and reduce the
risk of advanced macular degeneration by 43 percent. 3