Ten Warning Signs of Age-Related Eye Problems

The following signs and symptoms can indicate a medical emergency. In most cases, you should see your eye doctor immediately if you experience:

1. A flood of spots and floaters in your field of vision.

2. A sensation that a dark curtain has settled across your field of view, which could be signs of retinal detachment.

3. Sudden eye pain, redness, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can signal a sudden (acute) attack of narrow-angle glaucoma, which can permanently damage the eye's optic nerve. Immediate treatment is required to prevent permanent vision loss.

4. A gradual (or sudden) narrowing of your field of vision, leaving you with the ability to see only directly in front of you. This could mean you have developed glaucoma that damages your optic nerve.

5. A gradual loss of central vision, including distortions such as seeing wavy instead of straight lines. This is a sign of macular degeneration.

6. Cloudy and blurred eyesight, "halos" around lights at night, loss of bright color vision. These vision changes may be due to cataracts.

7. Blind spots in your field of view, accompanied by eye floaters and unexplained blurred vision. If you have diabetes, these vision problems may be due to the onset of diabetic retinopathy.

8. "Scratchy" or irritated sensation, eye surface pain, tearing.

9. Double vision, double images, or "ghost" images.

10. Sudden blurry vision in one eye.

While some vision symptoms are less urgent, sudden vision loss means you should immediately contact your eye care practitioner.

You also can reduce your chances of developing serious eye problems by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, along with undergoing regular eye exams.

Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/over60/warning-signs.htm