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Continuing Education
THE MATURE CONTACT LENS PATIENT
Understanding Age-related Changes to Our Eyes By Christopher Miller, ABOC, NCLEC
Release Date: June 1, 2020
Expiration Date: October 24, 2022
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:
1.Understand leading eye complaints and diseases for the older patient.
2.Be familiar with common tests performed by the eyecare practitioner.
3.Know the ve steps to safeguarding eyesight.
Credit Statement:
This course has been approved for one (1) hour of Continuing Education credit by the NCLE Ophthalmic Level II. CTWJHI332-2.
To earn NCLE credit, please review the questions and take the test at 2020mag.com/ce. Note: As of January 2020, no tests will be graded manually. Please call (800) 825-4696 for more information.
They say 50 is the new 40, and 60 is the new 50, and why stop there—I say that 70 is the new 59 and holding! As of July 2018, the number of Americans between ages 40 and 69 is 120,700,000. Both Gen X and Baby Boomers are active, style-conscious and informed. Moreover, they have the highest disposable income compared to other generations. While enjoying better general health than prior generations, age-related changes increase health issues including eye health issues. Some of the age-related eye health changes can affect contact lens wear. The mature eye has a wider range of conditions to consider that suggests different spectacle and contact lens modalities.
CAVEAT: Contact lens tters should be familiar with eye conditions to be well informed. If the patient has any questions concerning results of tests taken, always advise the patient to speak with their doctor directly. It is not within the scope of practice of the contact lens tter to diagnose, treat or interpret
any ndings except what pertains to the lling of contact lens prescriptions.
COMMON ADULT EYE COMPLAINTS
The following common eye complaints are age related. Treatment can be easy. Sometimes they signal a more serious problem.
Presbyopia is a gradual loss of ability to see close objects or small print. It is part of the normal aging process. The lens itself stiffens making it increasingly harder to change shape, get more convex and accommodate near vision. Signs of presbyopia include holding reading materials at arm’s length, dif culty reading in dim light, headaches or tired eyes when reading or doing other close work. For contact lens wearers, there are several options such as the newer multi-focal lenses, a monocular t or reading glasses worn over distance contact lenses.
Presbyopia at 60, 70 and 80: In the advanced stages of presbyopia, the patient often needs higher reading adds. These higher adds make it more dif cult to see intermediate distances starting at computer length, and a patient may notice it more when cooking, shopping, doing craftwork or while in their yard. There may be other problems as well, making driving or reading at night dif cult. Adequate lighting and low vision aids may be needed as well. Many of these patients may have been t previously as a monocular t, i.e., one eye for distance and one eye for near. The decision is yours and the prescribing doctor’s, whether they would be a good candidate for a multifocal contact lens. Patient interest and a willingness to try something different may open a whole new vista for them.
Floaters are small shadows of spots or laments that patients describe as oating across their eld of vision. They vary in size and shape, and are located in the vitreous humour. They may be of embryonic origin or acquired due to age-related degenerative changes of the vitreous humour or retina. They’re typically noticeable in a well-lit room, outdoors on a
51 EYEZONE Issue 91-92 May / August 2020