As we go through the different stages of life, our bodies change and our eyes are no exception. This is what makes us human!
Vision, contrary to popular belief, is always changing. Our eyes and vision typically change in phases, but the rate of change or progression of visual problems differs between individuals.
In this week’s blog post, we go through each developmental stage and how our eyes are during this time.
Infant’s Vision
At birth, babies don’t see much detail.
Their vision consists of black, white and shades of grey since the cells responsible for detailed vision are not fully developed in the retina and brain yet. Babies are not able to focus on near objects yet, so they may appear to be unfocused or seem to not look at anything in particular.
From 2 to 6 months, babies make several advancements in their detailed vision and their eye teaming abilities. Their eyes should show signs of recognising some detail, following objects, shifting their gaze, develop some sensitivity to light, show some hand and eye coordination and recognition of colour differences.
If you are concerned about your babies’ vision development, it is a good idea to seek a consultation with an optical professional that specifically deals with infants.
Children’s Vision
Research shows that 80% of what children learn is information obtained through their eyes and visual system. Despite common misconception, this is the stage where having adequate vision, visual concentration and eye teaming abilities is the most valuable.
Approximately 60% of learning difficulties in children are challenged by reduced visual abilities.
At this phase, vision problems can be missed as children simply do not know what they should be able to see since whatever they are currently seeing is their normal. Uncorrected vision for children in the primary school age have a higher risk in developing conditions such as lazy eye and eye turns.
It is important to be vigilant with signs such as unsual reading postures and excessive blinking as they are often unable to tell you themselves what they are seeing.
If not done prior, it is recommended that children should have their first eye test around 5 to 6 years of age when they are just starting to (or have learnt) their letters and numbers and then every 3 years thereafter if not stated otherwise. That way, we can provide them the best opportunities for learning.
Teenage Vision
This stage is where everyone tends to diverge in their visual abilities. Short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism may start to develop.
There are too many risk factors as to how this occurs (e.g. family history, extended near and digital use, etc) but if your teenager is squinting, rubbing their eyes, getting headaches or struggling to see as well as they could be, it is likely a sign that they might need glasses. At this age contact lenses may be suitable as a supplement to their lifestyle such as socialising or sport use.
It is recommended for teenagers to get their eyes tested every 3 years unless otherwise stated.
20s and 30s Vision
The vision typically starts to plateau in this deveopmental stage as we become young adults. Usually, prescriptions don’t change much in this period but that does not mean it can’t.
As we age, the visual needs for our eyes change from when we were in school. There may be other issues to be concerned about such as increased digital use as we work full time, dry eye symptoms or other eye problems.
It is recommended to get the eyes assessed every 2 years at this stage as optometrists assess and manage the eye health as well. We can advise you on ways to continue to look after your eyes and ensure that it does not worsen too quickly.
40s Vision
This is when you might notice the most visual changes and while it is a natural expected change, it may be alarming for those who have not heard about it before.
Presbyopia is the natural age-related phenomenon where the lens in the eye hardens and starts to lose its ability to adjust its focus between distance and near viewing. You might find yourself squinting to read texts closer to you and having to hold things further away to see comfortably or after a long session of near work, there is a couple of minutes lag for you to adjust back to your distance viewing.
This is a normal age-related depreciation of the eye and gradually gets worse until it plateaus again at around 60 years. You will find yourself getting more and more reliant on your spectacles.
Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse the ageing process of eyes, just like there is no other way of reversing the ageing process of other parts of the body – We are only human!
The best advice is to not fight through the normal changes. By wearing your spectacles as advised by your optical professional, you won’t strain your eyes, completing your daily tasks will be easier and more comfortable and it will slow down your vision from worsening too quick.
It is recommended to get your eyes checked every 2 years unless stated otherwise.
50s Vision
As we age, we increase medicine intake and develop increased risks for health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and many more. What people do not realise is that a lot of these health conditions and medications can affect the eyes as well. Signs of cataracts, macular degeneration or glaucoma may also start appearing just to name a few eye conditions of concern.
Besides the increased near prescription changes, if you experience any other visual changes such as fluctuating vision, sudden blur, increased eyestrain, sore eyes, irritated eyes or anything else that feels unusual, see your optometrist as soon as possible.
It is important to get your eyes assessed once every year at this stage of your life.
60s+ Vision
Your senior years is the stage of your life where caring for your eyes is the most crucial. Most types of serious eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma starts to impact the eyes from this stage onwards. Your vision changes may no longer be due to prescription changes.
These conditions have a better prognosis when diagnosed and managed early so it is important to detect them as early as possible.
Additionally, the Roads and Maritime Services may need you to assess your vision regularly and ensure that you are still within the Australian driving standards.
Hence, it is recommended to get your eyes checked every year or even every 6 months depending on how the eyes are.
