When you were younger you probably took your eyesight for granted. But now that you’ve got a few years behind you, it’s time to give your eyes some extra attention and care. The good news is that no matter what your age, you can take action to boost your eye health and safeguard your vision.

Eyes aren’t exempt from the wear and tear of aging. Some of the age-related changes in the eyes are annoying but not serious — for example, it can become difficult to focus on near objects, and eyelashes may thin out a bit. But other changes can threaten vision.

With age, the eyes’ ability to stay lubricated starts to wane. This can leave eyes feeling irritated, sticky, dry, or gritty. The lens of the eye can become less elastic. Night vision may also start to suffer, which can pose problems when driving at night. In contrast, cataract, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can rob you of your sight.

Warning signs of a serious eye problem

How do you know if an eye problem is a nuisance or the start of something serious? The following signs and symptoms warrant a call to your doctor. Catching serious eye problems early can help preserve your vision. Even non-vision-threatening problems can be treated to keep your eyes comfortable and your eyesight as sharp as possible.

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following:
1. Change in iris color
2. Crossed eyes
3. Dark spot in the center of your field of vision
4. Difficulty focusing on near or distant objects
5. Double vision
6. Dry eyes with itching or burning
7. Episodes of cloudy vision
8. Excess discharge or tearing
9. Eye pain
10. Floaters or flashers
11. Growing bump on the eyelid
12. Halos (colored circles around lights) or glare
13. Hazy or blurred vision
14. Inability to close an eyelid
15. Loss of peripheral vision
16. Redness around the eye
17. Spots in your field of vision
18. Sudden loss of vision
19. Trouble adjusting to dark rooms
20. Unusual sensitivity to light or glare
21. Veil obstructing vision
22. Wavy or crooked appearance to straight lines