The eyes have it
UP to 70 per cent of Australians over 40 need an eye test but are too afraid to see an optometrist.
New research has found that four in 10 citizens are worried about the possibility of losing their sight as they age, and a further one in four (24 per cent) worry about needing glasses or contact lenses.
The condition is called presbyopia, according to Specsavers Dubbo optometrist Yvonne O’sullivan and she said it is a very real problem.
“When you get to the age of 40, most people notice that their near vision gets worse,” she explains. “By the age of 50, everyone will have experienced presbyopia.”
Mrs O’sullivan said that eyes gets weaker with age. Presbyopia occurs as a hardening of the lens in the eye which affects vision.
“Reading their phone or books, they hold it further away,” she explained.
Part of the issue is that many people are in denial about their vision impairment, seeing it as a sign of ageing. As a result, they tend to take the easiest option instead of booking an optometry appointment.
“What most people do is buy over the counter $5 glasses that give magnification. They use them instead of seeing an optometrist,” Mrs O’sullivan said.
However, serious eye conditions can be overlooked if eye tests are avoided.
“What we say is that when you notice your vision is declining, to get it checked out. It will give you peace of mind that it’s not something more serious.
“Presbyopia will get worse over time and there’s a lot of eye conditions like glaucoma that, unless you have an eye test, can be misconceived and not a lot done about it.”
Mrs O’sullivan said that experiencing a decline in vision is akin to other effects of ageing.
“It’s like getting wrinkles, or seeing your first grey hair – getting glasses or contact lenses is just one of those things.
“You shouldn’t feel bad about it. A lot of people also think that glasses make their eyes worse but they take the strain away. It makes things clearer.”
The Ageing Eyes (Presbyopia) Xplained study, conducted by Galaxy, surveyed Australian adults not currently wearing glasses. Other findings included 16 per cent hating the thought of having to wear reading glasses as they get older, and 5 per cent worrying glasses will make them look old.
Ageing Eyes (Presbyopia) is a condition that affects all Australians but three in four say they are unaware that everybody’s eyes age at a similar rate and will become presbyopic at age 43. Awareness of presbyopia is very low among Australian adults with just one in four aware of what the term means.
Anybody affected by ageing eyes (presbyopia) is encouraged to visit www.presbyopiaxplained.com.au Sight problems can not only be a safety issue but they can cause embarrassment too. Almost two million Australians have done something silly due to not being able to see properly.
zApplying hair spray instead of deodorant
z Wearing a blouse inside out
z Mistaking a stranger for someone they know
z Using the wrong cream as suntan lotion
z Using the wrong ingredients to make a pie
z Not rubbing cream into their face properly
z Eaten a lolly with the wrapper on
z Used conditioner instead of shampoo
z Not recognised a friend