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The Golden Years Eye Exam

Written by Lisa Marie Wark, MBA & Assoc.,*

Our senior years are often referred as The Golden Years. However, there is nothing golden about our aging eyes. Eye ailments increase in frequency and intensity after the age of sixty-five. Many of these eye conditions advance quietly with very few physical symptoms, such as glaucoma, until they become a significant problem. That is why the experienced eye doctors at Nevada Eye and Ear place a great emphasis on regular eye exams for senior citizens. There are a number of reasons why seniors are more susceptible to eye disease and vision problems, including the following:
  • A personal medical history of diabetes or hyper-tension
  • A family history of eye diseases and poor vision
  • Side effects of certain medications
  • Past eye injuries
A Nevada Eye and Ear doctor will review any medical and hereditary eye problems with you in addition to giving you a complete eye exam. If you have not had an exam in some time, now is a good time to review the following tests or procedures that can be expected:
  • Test for glaucoma by measuring the pressure inside the eye. This is done by releasing a small burst of air onto the surface of the eye.
  • Examine the retina and optic nerve through an ophthalmoscope to determine if there are any eye diseases that are beginning to form. This will probably require pupil dilation.
  • Examine the pupil by shining a light into the eye and looking at the pupil’s reaction to the light.
  • The doctor will check your peripheral vision by positioning objects to the side of your field of vision and determine your ability to see it.
  • Using a biomicroscope to light up and magnify the front of eye to examine the cornea, lens, and iris.
  • The doctor may examine the eyelid inside and out for any infection.
  • You will undergo a series of tests to determine your visual acuity and an exact lens prescription. The acuity check is a familiar one, where the patient reads letters on a chart that diminish in size. The lens prescription is determined by refraction testing where the doctor flips between different lenses in front of your eye and asks, “Which is better, this or that”.
  • The most common eye disease found in seniors that is diagnosed during an eye examination is cataracts.
Nevada Eye and Ear encourages every adult at any age to have regular eye checkups, but as you move into the sixties, they urge you to be more attentive to slight changes in your vision and undergo a thorough eye exam at least once a year.


