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Last Reply:

How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problems

Alan M Kozarsky, MD posted:

In discussing eye symptoms and diagnoses, it is very important to know a person's age.

People under the age of 40 don't generally have a number of common problems experienced by older adults. After the age of 40, all adults will develop increasing problems with reading vision in the presence of normal or corrected distance vision. i.e. with normal distance vision or glasses/contact lens corrected distance vision, reading material will have to be held farther away and eventually reading glasses or a bifocal segment for distance glasses will be required. This is called presbyopia and is normal and happens to everyone. Only nearsighted people who have natural close focus (but can't see far away) are spared the need for reading glasses or bifocals after the age of 40.

Also, cataract, macular degeneration, and circulation problems which affect the eye are very unusual before the age of 50.

Thus, in discussing and diagnosing eye symptoms, whether in the eye doctor's office or in the WebMD Eye Health Community, it is very important to know someone's age to determine what is likely or remotely unlikely.

4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problemsIn discussing eye symptoms and diagnoses, it is very important to know a person's age. People under the age of 40 don't generally have a number of common problems experienced by older adults. After the age of 40, all adults will develop increasing problems with reading vision in the presence of normal or corrected distance vision. i.e. with normal distance vision or glasses/contact lens corrected distance vision, reading material will have to be held farther away and eventually reading glasses or a bifocal segment for distance glasses will be required. This is called presbyopia and is normal and happens to everyone. Only nearsighted people who have natural close focus (but can't see far away) are spared the need for reading glasses or bifocals after the age of 40. Also, cataract, macular degeneration, and circulation problems which affect the eye are very unusual before the age of 50. Thus, in discussing and diagnosing eye symptoms, whether in the eye doctor's office or in the WebMD Eye Health Community, it is very important to know someone's age to determine what is likely or remotely unlikely.

jkrawiec80 responded:

I am 32 yr old female. I also been having numbness and tingling in my left pinky and ring finger that started around the same time. Could my left eye problem and left fingers been connected? Very concerned since the eye problem is so frequent and bothers me when driving or just in general.

Report This| Share this:How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problemsI am 32 yr old female. I also been having numbness and tingling in my left pinky and ring finger that started around the same time. Could my left eye problem and left fingers been connected? Very concerned since the eye problem is so frequent and bothers me when driving or just in general.

JulieJS responded:

I am almost 55

Report This| Share this:How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problemsI am almost 55

sean123 responded:

I am 52 and I am diabetic. My vision fine too.

Report This| Share this:How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problemsI am 52 and I am diabetic. My vision fine too.

healthcareATM responded:

Alan M Kozarsky, MD , i m 27 years old

Report This| Share this:How old are you? Knowing your age is very important in diagnosing eye problems<a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/eye-health-community/groupstory/17999787">Alan M Kozarsky, MD</a> , i m 27 years old

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Alan M Kozarsky, MD

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