Your eyes, like other parts of your body, change as you grow older. These changes can't be prevented, but you can compensate for them and continue to be active and productive.

For example, age may affect your distance vision and your peripheral (side) awareness. Yet, by wearing proper prescription lenses and learning how to frequently look to the side, you can keep driving safely in spite of these vision changes. Annual optometric examinations are important to monitor changes as well as to provide early diagnosis of eye health problems like glaucoma. Eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are more likely to occur as you grow older and they can begin to permanently destroy your vision without your realizing it.

Early diagnosis and today's treatment procedures, can often bring these problems under control and help preserve your vision.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside the eye that occurs most often after age 55. Although they sometimes develop quickly, cataracts related to aging usually develop over the years. If you develop cataracts, your optometrist can monitor them and prescribe lenses to help you maintain good vision in spite of them.

Many people can live with cataracts but, if yours interfere with your ability to see even with prescription lenses, they can be removed surgically and, in most cases, replaced with an intraocular (artificial) lens. Your optometrist can prescribe other post-surgery treatment, like contact lenses of eyeglasses to further restore good vision. He or she can also advise you about ultraviolet radiation protection, which is important in helping avoid retinal damage after cataract surgery.