Sight Saving Tests For Older Eyes
Many adults approach eye appointments the same way they would a yearly physical: they want to get in and out as fast as possible, so they just let the doctor do what they need to do: they take the eye drops and read the numbers off the chart as though they were saying ‘Ah’ and breathing when told.
But for seniors and older adults, an eye exam is never something that should be rushed or taken lightly. In the United States, vision loss affects more than 55 million people aged 55 and over. For this reason, it’s crucial that seniors develop an understanding of what their vision tests are examining, and why they’re so important, as their prescriptions and treatments will be based on the findings of these tests.
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Over the course of this test, you might read letters off of a handheld sign at arms’ length, as well as off of a chart on the opposite wall. Since visual acuity declines with age, seniors would be wise to strengthen their eye muscles by practicing certain eye exercises on a regular basis.
Cover Test
Most people are familiar with the cover test: the patient is asked to focus on a distant object while the optometrist alternately covers his or her eyes. This common test reveals how successfully your eyes are able to work together when focusing on a far object. Moreover, the cover test allows the optometrist to identify eye turn, which can ultimately lead to an assortment of conditions, such as poor depth perception and lazy eye.
Color Vision (Color Blindness Test)
It’s startling to think that almost 5% of people suffer from color blindness. Color vision testing aims to determine your color recognition abilities (or lack thereof). This typically involves looking at colored numbers formed out of dots, where the numbers are set against a background with a contrasting color. Individuals suffering from color vision issues may see an incorrect number. (Little Miss Sunshine). Such color recognition tests are also helpful in screening for serious illnesses, as multiple sclerosis and some liver diseases can result in color