Did you know that sight makes up 80 per cent of our sensory intake?¹ As one of our strongest senses, it’s important to make sure that our eyes are in good health.

We regularly visit the doctor and dentist but for many Canadians, trips to the eye doctor fall by the wayside. Approximately 5.5 million (or 1 in 7) Canadians have vision threatening conditions,² and 75 per cent of all vision loss and blindness is preventable or treatable with early intervention.³  

As we age it’s normal for our vision to change, but those changes can range from slightly irritating to serious eye diseases. It might get harder to read small print or to adjust from light to dark, there might be more sensitivity to glare from sunlight, or a loss of depth perception. Whether the changes are small or significant, it’s important to monitor them and to take care of your eye health.⁴ 

Common eye health issues that can impact vision

Glaucoma
This eye disease damages the optic nerve responsible for your vision. In its early stages, there are no symptoms, but gradually it causes permanent damage to the nerve resulting in worsening eyesight and sometimes blindness. The best way to tell if you have glaucoma is to have regular exams with your eye care provider. While there is no cure, it can be managed with regular eye exams and treatment.⁵

Anyone can develop glaucoma but those at higher risk include those who are⁶ :

• Over 50 years of age
• Have a family history of the disease
• Are of African or Hispanic ethnicity
• Are nearsighted
• Have had a past eye injury, surgery or who have taken steroid medications as eye drops
• Have high pressure in their eye
• Have a thin central cornea or have an optic nerve with an abnormal appearance

If you have questions about whether you might be at risk, talk to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or eye care provider. Health Quality Ontario offers an in-depth guide as a resource to help people who have or at risk for glaucoma.

Cataracts
Cataracts occur when lens of your eye hardens with age⁷ and is often noticed when the eye begins to look cloudy. This gradual change in your eye’s lens prevents light from reaching the retina, potentially preventing you from being able to read or drive.⁸ This eye ailment develops painlessly and is usually detected during a routine eye exam.

Cataracts are commonly caused by aging, trauma to the eye, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation (e.g. sunlight), or as a secondary effect from other medical conditions (e.g. diabetes).⁹

If you experience sensitivity to bright light or see “halos” around lights, struggle to see details and differentiate between colours, have double vision, or difficulty seeing at night, speak to your health-care team or eye care provider.¹⁰

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
AMD occurs when the macula (the central part of the retina that allows your eyes to sharply focus) is damaged. If you have AMD, you will most likely experience blurriness, distortion of vision, or blind spots in your centre line of sight.¹¹

There are two forms of AMD:

• Dry AMD occurs when the cells under the retina start to thin and age, and drusen deposits (small yellow pieces of cellular debris) start to accumulate. Dry AMD usually advances slowly but can change into wet AMD.¹²
• Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina causing blood and fluid to leak which damages the eye’s macular cells. This type of AMD can occur suddenly and can quickly lead to loss of vision if left untreated.¹³

If you are experiencing any AMD symptoms, speak to your health-care team or eye care provider.

To learn more about vision care options under your RTIP plan, review your benefits booklet or contact OTIP Benefits Services by calling 1-866-783-6847.



Sources

1. Medicaleyecenter.com
2. Canadian Association of Optometrists
3. Canadian Association of Optometrists
4. Canada.ca
5. Quality Standards Ontario
6. Quality Standards Ontario
7. CNIB.ca
8. Canada.ca
9. CNIB.ca
10. CNIB.ca
11. Canada.ca
12. CNIB.ca
13. CNIB.ca