Just because someone is losing their vision or their vision changes with older age does not mean they are going blind. Unfortunately, sometimes seniors do go blind and it’s important for them to get regular checkups from the eye doctor. Here are some causes of blindness so you know what symptoms to look for when caring for your loved one.
Seniors May Develop Cataracts
One of the most common things that happens with age is developing cataracts. This is when a foggy film covers the eye’s retinas and can make things seem foggy and narrow, or a senior may lose sight completely. This is one of the reasons why a senior should be seeing their eye doctor. If cataracts are caught early enough, they can perform surgery to remove the cataracts and prevent blindness from occurring. Unfortunately, if your loved one is not getting regular checkups, they may not know they are developing this issue. Having someone at home to care for your loved one can be essential when they choose to age in place. Home care assistance can help your loved one by noting and observing physical changes. This means if a senior is not feeling well, has eye color changes, or notices a senior squinting a lot, they can encourage your loved one to go to the doctor and even provide transportation.
They Suffer From Diabetes
Many seniors have diabetes, and unfortunately, if they do, they need to get help from a doctor to manage this disease. If they are not doing anything to control and watch their diabetes, they risk allowing other health issues to take over. Diabetes can result in loss of eyesight and even loss of limbs. Your loved one should be managing diabetes through medication, diet, and paying attention to their blood sugar levels. Your senior mom or dad may be taking their blood sugar but not need to remember what their blood sugar has been. Home care assistance can help record blood sugar levels and keep a routine for when a senior needs to eat and what snacks should be available for them depending on their blood sugar levels.
Seniors May Have Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the nerves in your eyes, resulting in fluid buildup. A senior’s eyes may bulge due to the fluid buildup, and if you or the home care assistant notices this, you should encourage your loved one to go to the doctor’s. When nothing is done to help prevent or treat Glaucoma, it can lead to pain and blindness. Glaucoma’s pressure on the eye will slowly increase over time, making it worse and worse. It is so important to get regular eye checkups because a lot of these issues can be avoided with the right care. A senior may not know when to go to the doctor, or they feel they have no way to get there, and both of these issues can be helped when you hire home care assistance.
Strokes Can Cause Blindness
Strokes can impact brain regions that control body function and sight. This is why strokes can be so dangerous because sometimes they even lead to death. If your senior has become blind after a stroke, there may be nothing a doctor can do for them. However, home care assistance and family members can try helping your mom or dad adjust to their new loss and figure out how to make aging in place easier.
If you or someone you know needs home care assistance in Granite Falls, MN, contact Adara Home Health. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve. Call us at (888) 660-5772 for more information.