| You're Never Too Old to See Better
Ask doctor Pegueros, to describe the latest treatments that help senior citizens see better, and he'll tell the story of a 66-year-old patient named Manny who improved his eyesight with laser vision correction surgery.
"My friend Manny wanted to retire and do some of the things he enjoys most, such as traveling, but his near-sightedness had become a problem," says Dr. Pegueros.
After carefully examining his friend's eyes, Dr. Pegueros recommended LASIK, a brief and virtually painless laser procedure to correct his nearsightedness permanently.
"Manny's been going stronger than ever since the procedure," he says. "He's extremely active at age 72 — and most of the time he doesn't even wear glasses!
"More and more people in their early- to mid-60s are benefiting from this proven technology," he says. "The procedure usually takes less than a half hour. In my experience, most of the seniors who've been through it are pleased with the results."
LASIK worked for Manny, but Dr. Pegueros cautions that it isn't the solution for all older Americans. Fortunately, other techniques are available to help them improve their eyesight and remain active. Some of the most exciting vision-enhancing options include:
Extended-wear soft contact lenses: Launched about a year ago, comfortable, extended-wear soft contacts can be left in place night and day for up to a full month. This eliminates most of the hassle (washing, rinsing, soaking, etc.) of wearing contacts. The new lenses can remain in the eye for longer periods because they allow large amounts of oxygen to reach the corneal surface. This helps prevent germs from causing infections under die contacts.
Bifocal contact lenses: A growing number of seniors are enjoying the freedom that comes with discarding their bifocal glasses. Bifocal contacts allow the wearer to read a book up close or focus on a distant object simply by shifting his or her gaze.
Progressive lenses: Sometimes described as "no-line bifocals," these eyeglass lenses allow wearers to see close-up objects (such as the pages of a book) better, while also improving vision at middle and far distances. Because they correct vision all along the range of sight — with a progressively engineered lens that provides a seamless transition from near to faraway images — the glasses eliminate the cumbersome split-vision effect so often created by bifocals. Many wearers also say they look much better than the old-fashioned bifocals.
Dietary supplements: Many senior citizens are using food supplements — including antioxidant vitamins (primarily A, E and C) and lutein (found in spinach) — that may slow down age-related conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
Low-vision aids: Many of the 14 million older Americans who struggle with partial sight loss (also called low vision) are turning to vision-enhancing tools to remain active. These include telescopic adapters that attach directly to glasses and TV magnification systems that provide enlarged images of books, newspapers and other objects.
"At your annual eye exam, make sure you talk to your doctor about the options best suited to your lifestyle," advises Dr. Pegueros.
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