Age-related vision changes: a primary care guide

Abstract

Visual impairment becomes more prevalent with age. A person has "low vision" when legally blind or partially sighted. In addition, many older patients have functional visual impairment that affects their ability to read, even with corrective lenses. Normal visual changes that occur with aging include presbyopia, decreased contrast sensitivity, decreased dark/light adaptation, and delayed glare recovery. The four most prevalent age-related ocular diseases are macular degeneration, open-angle glaucoma, cataract, and diabetic retinopathy. The primary care practitioner can identify patients with visual problems with a careful history and in-office tests of visual acuity. Patients with visual impairments should be referred to an eye care practitioner for a more comprehensive ocular evaluation.