The macula is an area of the retina that enables clear central vision.
When a person has macular degeneration, the macula starts to thin. That can make central vision blurry or cause vision loss. Macular degeneration is a condition that commonly affects people who are 50 or older. It sometimes starts in just one eye but eventually affects both. The condition is progressive, meaning it gets worse as time goes on. However, that doesn’t mean that it always leads to total blindness. Having the condition treated as soon as possible can lead to better outcomes, so recognizing the symptoms is crucial to early detection.
Macular Degeneration Symptoms
Macular degeneration starts so gradually that the initial symptoms may go unnoticed. Vision may begin to fade, but it happens slowly, so the older adult may not even notice it. With time, they may develop a spot in the center of their vision where things look grey or blurry. Often, the doctor might spot signs of the disease before the senior does. That’s why it’s important that your aging relative has regular and comprehensive eye exams.
When symptoms do become noticeable, they may include some of the following:
- Distorted vision.
- Poor central vision in one eye or in both.
- Having to use brighter lighting to see when reading or doing close-up work.
- Trouble with vision adapting when entering an area with low light.
- Printed words appearing more and more blurry.
- Changes in the brightness of color.
- Trouble recognizing faces.
If the older adult complains of changes in their central vision or notices that colors aren’t as bright, make an appointment with their eye doctor.
How Home Care Can Help
Vision loss due to macular degeneration can make doing some important things difficult or impossible for seniors. However, home care can help them to overcome some of those problems and continue to live independently.
Some of the things that home care can do to help are:
Help Respond to Mail: Poor vision can make it hard to read the mail, including bills and other important documents. A home care provider can go through the mail with the older adult each day and help them to respond, as needed, such as by paying bills.
Offer Transportation: Driving may be unsafe because of vision loss. Home care can drive the senior to medical appointments, to run errands, and to see friends.
Reading: The loss of central vision can make it impossible to read, which can be a great loss to a senior who enjoys reading books, magazines, or newspapers. A home care provider can read to your older family member.
Having someone to help with daily tasks that are difficult because of vision loss can make the difference between your aging relative being able to remain in their home or having to move in with relatives or into a long-term care facility. Home care can be scheduled to come in for a few hours daily, just a few times per week, or for full days or nights.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Care Brockton, MA, call the caring staff at Rivers of Hope today at 508-857-0629. Providing Independent, Dependent, and Companion Care Services in Brockton, Boston, Braintree, Avon Randolph, Abington, and the surrounding areas. riversofhopes.com
Sources
Webmd.com
Mayoclinic.org
Verywellhealth.com
