Author name: Meredith Marmurek

Reviewed by Sonia Kelley, OD, MS on July 29, 2024

If your eyesight is getting worse, you’re probably wondering why. This common concern can stem from several factors that impact the clarity of your vision.

Getting older can play a significant role in worsening eyesight, as eye conditions like presbyopia and cataracts often develop with age. Your family history of eye disease and general health can also affect your vision and how well you see.

Read on to learn more about common eye problems that can affect your vision and how you might prevent your eyesight from getting worse.

Age-related Eye Conditions

Worsening eyesight can occur with aging. Everyone will develop presbyopia, even those who have never needed glasses. Let’s take a look at some other age-related eye conditions.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a condition where your close-up vision becomes blurry. It happens when the lens, which helps focus incoming light on the retina, becomes less flexible. This is a natural part of aging, and most people start to notice symptoms around age 40. Symptoms include:

• Blurry vision up close

• The need to hold things farther away to see them clearly

• Headaches from doing close-up activities like reading

• Eye strain leading to tired, achy eyes

In many cases, presbyopia can be addressed with reading glasses or other corrective lenses.

Dry Eyes

Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes don’t make enough tears or when they don’t produce the right type of tears to keep your eyes adequately moisturized. The condition can happen at any point in life, but you’re more likely to experience it after age 50.

Symptoms of dry eye syndrome can include:

• Itchy eyes

• Red eyes

• A burning sensation

• The feeling of having something in your eye

• A gritty feeling

• Tired eyes

• Sore or achy eyes

• Blurry vision

• Sensitivity to light

Without proper treatment, dry eyes can lead to inflammation and potentially permanent damage to the eye’s surface. While this condition can negatively affect your vision, permanent vision loss is very rare.

Cataracts

A cataract is a cloudy area on the eye’s natural crystalline lens, which is normally clear. You can usually still see with cataracts early on, but your vision may become increasingly cloudy or hazy.

Cataracts are a very common age-related eye condition. Changes to the crystalline lens may start to develop around age 40, but you may not notice any vision changes until age 60. Here are some common symptoms:

• Blurry or cloudy vision

• Trouble seeing at night

• Colors looking faded

• Double vision

• Vision changes, such as nearsightedness that worsens

• Sensitivity to bright light like the sun or headlights

Cataracts can cause your eyesight to worsen if left untreated.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD damages your central vision, or what you see in your direct line of sight. It affects the central part of the retina called the macula, which is the area that provides your sharpest vision. AMD does not typically affect your peripheral (side) vision and does not usually cause total blindness.

There are two main types of AMD: dry and wet. Symptoms typically don’t appear until the disease progresses past the early stages, but they can include:

• Blurry, wavy, or distorted vision

• Difficulty seeing in low light

• Changes in color vision

• Black or blank spots in your vision

AMD typically affects those over the age of 50 and is a top cause of vision loss in Americans aged 60 and older.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an age-related eye problem that can affect people with diabetes. It damages the blood vessels in the retina, which is made up of light-sensitive cells and is in the back of your eye. There are typically no symptoms at first, but you may have trouble seeing distant objects or seeing clearly up close.

As the condition advances, symptoms may include web-like strings or dark spots in your vision. Diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damages the optic nerve, a structure that’s vital to your vision. While glaucoma can result from different factors, it’s most often caused by fluid buildup in the front of the eye that does not drain properly. This increases pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss and blindness.

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma and often has no noticeable symptoms in the early stages. It can progress to peripheral vision loss, blind spots, or blindness if left untreated. Anyone can develop glaucoma, but the risk increases with age. Eye damage caused by glaucoma is irreversible, making regular eye exams critical for early detection.

Retinal Detachment

Aging is one potential cause of retinal detachment, which is a condition that occurs when your retina separates from the back of your eye. Symptoms include:

• Floaters like dark little spots or squiggly lines in your vision

• A dark shadow that makes it seem like you have a curtain over part of your vision

• Flashes of light in your eyes

Visit your eye doctor or go to a hospital immediately if you experience these symptoms, as a detached retina that is not promptly treated can cause permanent vision loss or blindness.

Other Reasons That Cause Eyesight to Worsen

A number of factors outside of age-related eye conditions can also contribute to worsening eyesight. Some of these involve:

Genetics

Certain eye and vision conditions may be passed from parent to child. As a result, some people may be more prone to developing specific eye or vision-related health problems due to their genetic makeup.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions can affect the eyes and possibly cause your eyesight to worsen. Some of these conditions include

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Heart disease

• Stroke

• Autoimmune disorders (such as multiple sclerosis and Sjӧgren's syndrome)

• Certain cancers

Your eye doctor can help you better understand your risks for developing eye conditions or worsening eyesight.

How Do I Prevent My Eyesight From Getting Worse?

You can’t stop the aging process, but there are things you can do to help prevent your eyesight from getting worse:

• Get regular eye exams – Having a comprehensive eye exam at least once per year, or more often if your eye doctor recommends it, can help detect eye and vision problems as early as possible. Early treatment for eye conditions may help prevent your eyesight from worsening.

• Quit smoking – Tobacco use has been linked to a higher risk of eye conditions such as AMD and cataracts.

• Protect your eyes from the sun – Exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays can increase the risk of certain eye diseases, so wear sunglasses with 100% UVA-UVB lens protection and a hat when you go outside. All of our shades, including Fits Over and ClipOn styles, provide 100% UVA-UVB lens protection.

• Be aware of your family history – Knowing your family’s history of eye diseases and other vision concerns can help you better understand your risks for developing them.

• Manage your health – Left untreated or poorly managed, health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure can increase your risk of eye problems and other concerns.

Can You Improve Your Eyesight?

While you might not be able to improve your eyesight, there are steps you can take to help maintain your eye health and potentially reduce the risk of certain conditions:

Eat With Eye Health in Mind

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet that includes the following nutrients may support your eye health and help maintain your vision:

• Vitamin A – Found in foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach

• Vitamin E – Present in foods such as almonds, hazelnuts, whole-grain cereals, and spinach

• Antioxidants (such as lutein and zeaxanthin) – Found in foods like blueberries, dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, and artichokes

• Omega-3 fatty acids – Present in fish like salmon and tuna

Exercise Regularly

Studies have found that exercising regularly may help prevent the development of eye conditions like AMD, glaucoma, and cataracts. It can also lower the risk of health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, that may lead to certain eye conditions.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting adequate sleep helps support your overall health, including that of your eyes. Sleeping for a minimum of seven hours per night gives your eyes the break they need to help prevent visual fatigue, dry eyes, and blurry vision.

Taking care of your eyes can help you enjoy clear and healthy vision as you age. Visit your eye care provider for further information on protecting your eyesight at every stage in life.

SOURCES:

1. Common age-related eye problems. Cleveland Clinic. May 2024.
2. Presbyopia. Cleveland Clinic. July 2023.
3. Presbyopia: What causes it and how to treat it. All About Vision. February 2019.*
4. Dry eyes: Symptoms and causes. All About Vision. February 2023.*
5. Cataracts (age-related). Cleveland Clinic. March 2023.
6. Macular degeneration. Cleveland Clinic. February 2023.
7. Diabetic retinopathy. National Eye Institute. June 2024.
8. Glaucoma. Cleveland Clinic. November 2022.
9. Glaucoma. National Eye Institute. November 2023.
10. Retinal detachment. National Eye Institute. November 2023.
11. See the full picture of your health with an annual comprehensive eye exam. American Optometric Association. Accessed July 2024.
12. Ways on how to improve vision. All About Vision. March 2020.*
13. Presbyopia. National Eye Institute. November 2023.

The sources listed here have been provided for informational purposes only. The citation of a particular source does not constitute an endorsement or approval of EssilorLuxottica products, services, or opinions by such source.

*Like Foster Grant, All About Vision and AAV Media, LLC are affiliates of EssilorLuxottica.