Due to Nashville and surrounding area’s growth, many people endure driving through construction zones, road hazards (pot holes), detour signs and more on a daily basis. These may all be easily detected…unless you are experiencing vision changes. Dr. Stewart Shofner recently reported an increase in cataract patients and one of the biggest concerns was their ability to see well while driving…especially at night.

If you fall into the “over 40” category, vision changes may be normal. Most common among this age group is presbyopia, which may impact your ability to see your dashboard or GPS system. Another common condition could be dry-eye disease, especially this time of the year; cooler temps requiring drivers to turn on the heater. The good news is both presbyopia and dry eye can be easily treated to improve vision quality.  Additionally, it’s recommended for those who wear corrective lenses to ensure your eye glasses (and contact lenses) are clean and the prescription is up-to-date.

Awareness of common vision-related changes and problems can help you and your loved ones stay safe while driving. The following major eye diseases that impact vision include:

• CATARACT - a progressive clouding of the natural lens inside the eye that causes blurry vision, glare and halos around lights. Cataracts can also make it harder to see well at night, in bad weather or in low light conditions. Cataract affects over 24.4 million Americans age 40 and older, or about one in every six people in this age range.
• DIABETIC RETINOPATHY - a disease in which high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina, stealing both central and peripheral vision. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision-loss globally. Over 7 million Americans have diabetic retinopathy. If you or a loved one is pre-diabetic or has diabetes, it’s very important to have a diabetic screening exam to help maintain healthy vision.
• GLAUCOMA - a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. Often, there are no warning signs or obvious symptoms in the early stages. As the disease progresses, blind spots develop in your peripheral vision, or, less commonly, in your central vision. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States and the world. More than three million Americans are living with glaucoma, 2.7 million of whom—aged 40 and older—are affected by its most common form, open-angle glaucoma.
• AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION - a disease in which a part of the retina called the macula becomes damaged and causes loss of central vision. As many as 11 million people in the United States have some form of age-related macular degeneration.

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Recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Dr. Shofner, if you notice any of the following symptoms in yourself or a loved one, make an appointment with an ophthalmologist right away:

• Blurred vision or decrease in vision.
• Halos or glare from headlights or streetlights
• Difficulty reading road signs or spotting     pedestrians
• Dark spot in your central or peripheral vision

Having regular eye exams can help your ophthalmologist find these changes early, and treat conditions promptly before they cause irreversible vision loss. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist starting at age 40.

Contact your local eye doctor or schedule an appointment online atShofner Vision Center.