Caregivers Helping Elderly with Age-Related Vision
Loss Get Help from Caregiver Alliance
Family Caregiver Alliance provides comprehensive
information online
See
link to video below showing development of Are-Related Macular
Degeneration
Oct. 3, 2008 Most older Americans with
age-related vision loss about 3.5 million over age 40 will not go
completely blind, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. To help
caregivers of the partially blind elderly, the FCA has developed a
comprehensive fact sheet that is available online.
Most people experience some decline in vision as
they age. It becomes more difficult to read small print, to get around
in dim lighting, or to tell the difference between dark blue and black,
for example. Such changes in vision are a normal part of aging. However,
more serious changes to eyesight also occur as one ages, according to
the fact sheet.
The National Eye Institute and the American Academy
of Ophthalmology recommend that everyone over age 60 get a full, dilated
eye exam every two years, or more often if there is an eye disease
involved.
People of any age who have a stroke, traumatic
brain injury, or a brain tumor may experience many physical changes,
including vision loss, which can be temporary or permanent.
Most older adults experiencing low vision will be
affected by one of four conditions: macular degeneration, glaucoma,
cataracts and diabetic retinopathy .
The table below by the FCA summarizes the most
common symptoms or warning signs of these conditions.
Conditions
Most Common Symptoms &
Warning Signs
Macular Degeneration
Vision
loss in center of eye; blurred vision; straight lines look
wavy; need for more light; affects one or both eyes
Glaucoma
Gradual loss of peripheral, or side, vision; difficulty
driving at night; loss of contrast
Cataracts
Hazy
vision; difficulty driving at night; double vision; trouble
distinguishing colors; sensitivity to glare
Diabetic Retinopathy
Blurred or changing vision; difficulty reading; floaters;
affects central or peripheral vision
It is important to remember that a person may have
one of these conditions but not have any or all of the symptoms listed
in the table above.
Video Shows How AMD Develops
Video
shows changes in the eye associated with Age-related Macular
Degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual impairment and
blindness in older Americans.(Click
on photo to start video)
It affects
the retina, the light sensitive layer of the eye. As yellowish
deposits form under the retina, they can result in distortion
and gradual blurring of vision. This is called "dry AMD." The
second type, called "wet AMD" can lead to bleeding and more
rapid vision loss. The most common form is the dry type, but as
more and larger deposits develop under the retina, the risk of
developing the wet type increases.
The
animation (video only; no audio.) begins with a close-up
of the face of an elderly woman and as the eye fills the screen,
the front half disappears to reveal the light sensitive retinal
layer at the back of the eye.
Small
yellowish deposits known as drusen are seen forming under the
retina blurring the sharp central area of vision or macula.
Individual drusen, coalesce forming larger areas of damage.
Blood vessels growing up from below the retina leak blood under
the retina.
Pressure
from these pockets of blood, damage the light sensing cells,
destroying the ability to see straight ahead.
The
progress of AMD is repeated with the development of drusen and
later, pockets of blood under the retina, as shown in the inset
in the upper right.
The main
image is a simulation of what the individual sees as the disease
progresses. AMD disease progress and gradual vision loss are
presented concurrently in the last part of the animation.
By National
Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
More detailed information about these conditions is
provided in the fact sheet by FCA.
Other topics covered in the fact sheet include:
● Vision-related rehabilitation services and
vision training
● Home Alterations (Adaptive Living)
● Assistive devices
● Traveling Outside the Home (Orientation and
Mobility Training)
● Paying for low-vision care and devices
● Emotional effects of vision loss
● How can you help your loved one adjust to low
vision?
● Recommended Reading
● Helpful Resources
> Organizations that provide general
information about low vision
> Organizations that provide more information about specific
conditions
> Organizations that provide financial aid or products for eye care
> Organizations that may help find low-vision specialists
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) seeks to improve
the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research
and advocacy.
FCAs National Center on Caregiving offers
information on current social, public policy and caregiving issues,
provides assistance in the development of public and private programs
for caregivers, publishes timely reports, newsletters and fact sheets,
and assists caregivers nationwide in locating resources in their
communities.
For residents of the greater San Francisco Bay
Area, FCA provides direct family support services for caregivers of
those with Alzheimers disease, stroke, ALS, head injury, Parkinsons
and other debilitating health conditions that strike adults.
The fact sheet was prepared by Family Caregiver
Alliance and reviewed by Anthony B. Nesburn, MD, FACS, Medical Director,
Discovery Eye Foundation, and Judith Delgado, Director, Macular
Degeneration Partnership. This fact sheet was made possible by an
unrestricted educational grant from Genentech, Inc. For more information
from Genentech on wet AMD, please visit
www.EyeOnAMD.com.
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