Eye doctors offer new laser techniques and can do corneal implants to treat vision problems after diagnosis of presbyopia and aging eyes (Olson et al., 2005). Adaptation to darkness and recovery from glare also take longer, which makes night driving somewhat more taxing. Distance acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual search, and patter recognition are also diminished (Madden, Whiting, & Huettel, 2005).
A number of other vision disorders become more common with the normal aging process. Glaucoma, increased pressure caused by internal fluid buildup in the eye, can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness, if left untreated. The disorder can be detected only by a professional eye examination. Cataracts, or clouding of the lens, typically occur in 30 to 50 percent of people over the age 65, but they can appear among individuals in their late fifties and early sixties. The condition usually requires surgery and then can be corrected by eyeglasses, a contact lens, or an implanted lens. Recently, researchers at Harvard Medical School devised new optical tests able to detect amyloid beta proteins in the lens of the eye-the same proteins that, found in the brain, can cause Alzheimer's disease. Early detection can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (Stark & Bardi, 2008). Floaters, which can appear abruptly as annoying, blurry floating spots in the visual field, are particles suspended in the gel-like fluid of the eyeball; generally, they do not impair vision and dissipate with time. However, a severe "floating" problem, with flashes of light, could indicate the more serious problem, with flashes of light, could indicated the more serious problem of retinal detachment, which can be treated with laser surgery if detected early enough. The discomfort caused by dry eye, which stems from diminished tear production, can be eased with eye drops. Those who look at computer screens or read documents for hours are likely to experience this discomfort.
