If your vision isn't as good as it used to be, it's a good idea to see an optometrist for an eye exam. It's common for your eyes to change as you age, and sometimes glasses are all you need. Other times, vision loss can be caused by a medical eye condition, and you'll want to have the condition diagnosed so treatment can be started if needed. Here are types of vision loss treatments that might help you see better.

Surgery For Cataracts Or Improved Vision  

Cataract surgery is a common procedure that removes the lens in your eye when it's cloudy and interferes with your vision. Your doctor may monitor your cataract for a long while before it gets bad enough to need surgery. Once the cloudy lens is removed, your vision should be improved.

LASIK is another type of eye surgery that can help you see better, and sometimes it can even reduce your need to wear eyeglasses. This surgery is performed on the cornea of your eye to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Visual Aids For Low Vision

Low vision is when you have problems with your vision, but wearing traditional glasses doesn't help. Instead, you may need to use visual aids to help you see better. These might include magnifying glasses, telescopic glasses, or light-filtering lenses. Your optometrist or eye doctor can help you choose the best visual aids and other items, such as talking clocks so you can have a high quality of life even though your vision is diminished.

Eyeglasses For Vision Changes

Even if you've never needed glasses, you might need them when you're older. Glasses are a popular vision loss treatment for astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia. Eyeglasses can return your vision to normal as long as you wear them. If you don't like wearing glasses, talk to your optometrist about getting contacts instead.

Medical Treatments For Eye Conditions

Some vision loss treatments may require procedures or medication to keep the condition from progressing. Proper treatment might maintain your vision for longer or improve your vision loss. Some medical conditions that affect your eyes include diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. In addition to treatment from an eye doctor or optometrist, you might also need medical care for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension that affect much more than your eyes. For instance, keeping blood sugar under control can help prevent vision loss due to diabetes.

The first step in successful vision loss treatment is to have an eye examination. Your optometrist may start with simple vision testing and do more tests if they see signs of a problem that needs investigating. They may also select testing based on your age and eye symptoms so your eye condition can be diagnosed correctly.

Talk to an optometrist to learn more about vision loss treatments.