Ten Warning Signs of
Age-Related Eye Problems

By Marilyn Haddrill; additional contributions
and review by Gary Heiting, OD

Regular eye exams are the very best way to make sure you maintain healthy vision for a lifetime, even as you grow older.

But being aware of certain warning signs also can help you take appropriate steps to maintain your eyesight, particularly if vision symptoms occur suddenly. In many cases, such as with a retinal detachment or rapid onset of glaucoma, prompt intervention can even help preserve eyesight before vision loss becomes permanent.

While many eye problems can occur at any age, they often are more common in older individuals. Unfortunately, aging also increases your risk for certain types of sight-threatening eye conditions that can lead to blindness.

Eye Problems and Warning Signs

The following signs and symptoms can indicate a medical emergency. In most cases, you should see your eye doctor immediately if you experience:

Be aware of warning signs that something is going wrong with your eyesight.

1. A flood of spots and floaters in your field of vision. Usually, spots and floaters are due to a benign, age-related condition called vitreous detachment. This occurs when the eye's gel-like interior liquefies and separates from the retina, where vision processing occurs. But a sudden onset of spots and floaters can also be caused by a serious, sight-threatening tear or detachment of the retina. If you suddenly see a shower of spots and floaters, visit your eye doctor immediately.
2. A sensation that a dark curtain has settled across your field of view. This could be caused by a retinal detachment, which occurs when the eye structure (retina) responsible for processing images separates from the underlying layer of nourishing blood vessels (choroid). If the retina is not reattached within hours, vision loss can be permanent.
3. Sudden eye pain, redness, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can signal a sudden (acute) attack of narrow-angle glaucoma, which can permanently damage the eye's optic nerve. Immediate treatment is required to prevent permanent vision loss.
4. A gradual (or sudden) narrowing of your field of vision, leaving you with the ability to see only directly in front of you. This could mean you have developed glaucoma that damages your optic nerve, with accompanying vision loss at the "edges" of your field of view. Without intervention, vision loss will continue and permanent blindness may result.

If you experience sudden vision problems, visit your eye doctor immediately. Ignoring this kind of medical emergency can mean permanent loss of vision.
5. A gradual loss of central vision, including distortions such as seeing wavy instead of straight lines. These symptoms may be caused by macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness among older Americans. In the past, there was no effective treatment for AMD. But today, several new medical treatments can effectively halt vision loss due to macular degeneration. Some treatments may even help you regain some vision lost to AMD, if therapy is initiated soon enough.
6. Cloudy and blurred eyesight, "halos" around lights at night, loss of bright color vision. These vision changes may be due to cataracts. Cataracts tend to worsen gradually over time and are not a medical emergency. Nevertheless, as your eye's natural lens continues to cloud with aging, you will eventually go blind unless you have cataract surgery that replaces your cloudy lens with an artificial one. If you wait too long for cataract surgery, you increase your chance of complications such as glaucoma. Also, if cataract surgery is postponed long enough, the cloudy lens can harden and become more difficult to remove.
7. Blind spots in your field of view, accompanied by eye floaters and unexplained blurred vision. If you have diabetes, these vision problems may be due to the onset of diabetic retinopathy. Regular eye exams are essential for diabetics, particularly if you are over age 60. By evaluating the condition of your retina, your eye doctor also can provide valuable information to your general physician about the control and severity of your diabetes.
8. "Scratchy" or irritated sensation, eye surface pain, tearing. These signs and symptoms are most commonly due to dry eye syndrome. Dry eye is usually more of a nuisance than a sight-threatening condition. But symptoms can be severe, particularly as we grow older and our eyes lose their ability to provide the right kind of lubrication for comfort. Consult your eye care practitioner for advice about remedies, which may include over-the-counter or prescription eye drops.

Blurry vision, ghost images, and night "halos" can all be warning signs of eye problems.
9. Double vision, double images, or "ghost" images. Double vision can be caused by many eye conditions. In some cases, double vision also can signal an underlying health emergency such as a stroke. If you have a sudden onset of double vision, see your eye doctor or family physician immediately.
10. Sudden blurry vision in one eye. If you are over 60, your chance of developing a macular hole in the part of the retina where fine focusing occurs greatly increases. Because macular holes can worsen and cause permanent loss of vision, it's important to visit your eye care practitioner for a diagnosis and prompt treatment (if necessary).

While some vision symptoms are less urgent, sudden vision loss means you should immediately contact your eye care practitioner. If your regular eye doctor is unavailable, visit a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility. Because delay can mean permanent vision loss, never hesitate to seek help.

You also can reduce your chances of developing serious eye problems by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, along with undergoing regular eye exams. [Read more about tips for preventing vision loss.]

[Page updated September 2007]