Vision and Health: What Does it All Mean?

How much do you know about vision and overall health? When caring for your elderly loved one, they may develop certain vision health symptoms. For instance, your elderly loved one might have yellowing of the eyes, brown spots on their eyelid, be seeing red spot, or have other vision health symptoms. Sometimes, it is more than just vision health that is affected by these symptoms. There might be something else going on. Learning about common vision health symptoms and what they mean can help you to get your loved one the proper treatments.  

Yellowing of the Eyes

Elderly Care Woodbridge, VA: Seniors and Vision

Did you or an elderly care provider notice that your loved one has yellowing of the eyes? If the white in your elderly loved one’s eyes looks a bit yellow (also called jaundice), this could mean they have issues with their bile ducts, liver, or gallbladder. The yellow coloring is bilirubin building up. This the red blood cell by-product that your loved one’s liver can’t process. You should talk to your loved one’s doctor about this. They can run tests to see what is going on. Then, they can offer the appropriate treatments.  

Brown Spot or Bump on Eyelid 

Your elderly loved one might also have a brown spot or a bump on their eyelid. This could be a sign of skin cancer. If your elderly loved one is fair-skinned, they are at a higher risk of getting cancer. You should check the top and bottom eyelids for these bumps. You may even notice that your elderly loved is missing eyelashes near this bump. If you or an elderly care provider notice these spots or bumps, be sure to schedule your loved one a doctor’s appointment.  

Seeing Red Spots 

Does your elderly loved one see red spots? If so, these are likely caused by blood that is caught in the eye. This can be a symptom of diabetes. If your elderly loved one has high blood sugar, the vessels in their eyes can become blocked. This can lead to swelling. If this is left untreated, their retina might burst. The red spots they are seeing may be from the burst retina. When this symptom occurs, be sure to have your elderly loved one see their doctor or another medical professional right away.  

Dry Eyes 

Your elderly loved one might have dry eyes, as well. This can be caused by numerous things. For instance, your loved one might be on a medication that has dry eyes as a side effect. There are autoimmune diseases that can lead to dry eyes, too. If eye drops don’t clear up your elderly loved one’s eyes for long, you should have them see their doctor.  

Conclusion 

These are some of the things that you should know about vision symptoms and overall health. There are numerous things that can cause vision disturbances. If your elderly loved one has these symptoms, make sure you or their elderly care provider get them to the doctor soon. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elderly Care in Woodbridge, VA please contact the caring staff at Thrive Health Care Services today. (703) 992-0484 

Sources 

https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html