Senior Eye Exams

As we get older, most of us see our eyes begin to slowly degrade. That’s why Alberta Health recommends that anyone over the age of 65 should get their eyes examined at least once a year. While certain eye diseases such as glaucoma are incurable, catching these conditions early on can make a world of difference when it comes to mitigating their effects and damage. 

Get in touch with our Calgary optometrists today and book your specialty senior eye exam.

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Seniors face specific challenges when it comes to their eyes and can be more at risk for certain eye conditions. This is why an increased eye exam schedule is recommended for those who are over 65. With early diagnosis and treatment, many eye diseases can be successfully managed. But left untreated, your sight and overall health could deteriorate rapidly.
 

Senior eye exams are covered by Alberta Health Care

Living on a fixed income can make it tough to spend money on things like eye exams, especially when your eyes have been perfectly healthy in the past. Recognizing this, Alberta has stepped in and made annual eye exams a covered procedure under the provincial health care system for those who are under 18 or over 65. This ensures seniors can access the eye care they require, without having to stretch their budget. Our friendly Specs in the City staff would also be extremely happy to help you find low-cost options for eyeglasses or contacts, and can guide you towards other services or resources that help seniors keep their eye care costs down. 
 

Specialized senior eye exams

Our Calgary eye clinic provides specialized eye exams to our senior patients for two main reasons. First, most people’s eyesight becomes affected due to the natural aging process. Second, certain eye conditions or diseases become more prevalent as we age and older individuals find themselves at higher risk of being afflicted with one of these diseases or conditions.
 

Our eyes as we age

As we get older, the natural aging process we undergo can affect our eyes or eyesight in ways that may be hard to notice at first.

Eye and eyesight changes often associated with aging:

  • Colour vision decreases
  • Eyes become more dry (dry eyes)
  • The size of our pupils get smaller
  • Peripheral vision decreases
  • Presbyopia

While the majority of these eye or eyesight changes are not serious, it’s critical that you be aware of them and schedule an eye exam once you first begin to notice they’re happening. By doing so, we can work together to address the problem and get your vision back to where it was, or put in place things to help you manage the issues. Such as:

  • Adjusting the lighting levels higher in the areas where you work or read
  • Reinforcing and increasing peripheral checking while driving
  • Having eye drops with you when leaving your house
     

Age-related eye conditions

Age-related macular degeneration: Advancing slowly and painlessly in most cases, this disease affects the part of your eye which allows you to see finer details. It also causes blurring in your central and close-up fields of vision, which is used for things like driving or knitting.

Glaucoma: The world-leading cause of vision loss, glaucoma takes place when damage to your optic nerve is caused by a change in your intraocular pressure. Only regular eye exams can detect glaucoma, which can be successfully managed if treated right away. If left untreated, further irreversible vision loss can likely occur.

Diabetic retinopathy: Nearly 10 per cent of Canadians have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. If you’re one of these people, screening for diabetic retinopathy is a must. This disease can cause changes in the blood vessels of your eyes due to heightened blood sugar levels, and can result in blindness if not addressed.

Cataracts: There are a number of risk factors for cataracts, but age is one of the biggest. This clouding of the eye lens disease leads to decreased vision, and is the most common cause of vision loss amongst those over the age of 40.

If you have any further questions about age-related eye conditions, treatments, or would like to book an appointment, contact our wonderful Specs in the City team today.
 

What will my senior eye exam include?

Our specialized senior eye exams include the following tests:

  • Vision testing
  • Eye muscle coordination testing
  • How your pupils respond to light
  • Peripheral vision testing
  • Measuring pressure levels of the fluid in your eye

In addition to the above, our specialized senior eye exams also screen for any of the age-related conditions we’ve previously noted. Our Calgary optometrist will also work with you to chart any changes your eyesight may be experiencing due to prescription medications.
 

How to monitor your eyesight at home

Along with regular eye exams, it’s important to keep an eye out for any changes to your vision while going about your day-to-day life. Symptoms of vision loss include:

  • Having trouble reading or writing
  • Issues driving at night or missing street signs
  • Moving objects clumsily
  • Problems executing delicate tasks such as knitting
  • Light sensitivity or seeing a blurry halo around light sources
  • Issues differentiating between dark colours

Should you find yourself experiencing any of these issues, contact your Calgary optometrist right away.
 

Contact us today

If you need a Calgary optometrist to conduct a specialized senior eye exam or vision screening, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch by calling us at 403-252-2020 or by filling out or contact form.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) provides coverage for annual eye exams granted you’re between the ages of 0-18, or over 65. The provincial plan can also be used in times of an emergency should you require an immediate appointment with an eye doctor. For more information on the policy surrounding eye emergencies, click the below button.

Eye Emergencies

Our convenient SE Calgary optometry clinic is located right off Blackfoot Trail in the Meadows Mile Professional Building.

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Your eyes are our priority! Our knowledgeable and professional staff can answer all your questions. Call us today at 1-403-252-2020 or fill out the form below:

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