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17 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Age related physical changes of the eye
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The lens thickens and becomes less elastic.
The pupil decreases in size. Cornea thickens. Vitreous fluids become cloudy. |
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Age associated visual changes that are not severe
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Decreased light sensitivity
Impaired night vision Increased glare sensitivity Decreased ability to adjust from light to darkness. Decreased ability to focus on near objects (presbyopia), the light is focused pass the retina |
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Presbyopia
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decreased elasticity of the lens, considered to be normal aging, far sided
Lens can't focus near objects Affects most older people Starts as early as age 40 Correctable by glasses |
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Cataracts
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"looking through a waterfall"
Cloudiness of lens, the leading cause of REVERSIBLE blindness in the U.S., doesn't always cause loss of vision, 50% of people 60+ have cataracts, reversible through surgery which removes the lens and replaced with artificial lens or glasses |
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Glaucoma
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caused by increased buildup of aqueous humor, which causes interocular pressure and damages the optic nerve and the retina, leading cause of IRREVERSIBLE blindness in older people in the U.S., "sneak thief of sight", there is medication to eliminate fluid build up
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Macular degeneration
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Loss of central vision
Dry & wet forms: wet is more dangerous Until recently, MD was NOT reversible, but there are some promising new drugs |
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Causes of hearing loss in aging
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Presbycusis - "usual" aging, noise, disease, medications
1/3 of 65+ populations have hearing loss |
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Presbycusis
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age associated hearing loss, leading cause of hearing loss in older adults, loss of high pitched sounds, harder to screen out background noise, men are at greater risk
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Impact of presbycusis
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hearing loss is not perceived or acknowledged, decreased social activities, withdrawl, depression, paranoid feelings, others withdraw from the hearing-impaired person
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Why are hearing aids underused?
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hearing is not 100% restored, 20-25% use hearing aids, not perfect solution but many times helpful, uncomfortable, expensive, some say it stigmatizes them
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Balance and equilibrium involves...
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vestibular senses
visual peripheral |
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Falling
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Not inevitable part of life
Most often preventable May relate to meds Elders may not report Unpredictable impact on lives of elderly |
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Tai Chi
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Improves balance and strength
UCLA study that shows it augments immunity, protects against varicella zoster virus |
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Ishoe
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Developed by Leiberman (grad student at Harvard), first developed for astronauts who had trouble with balance after returning from space
Pressure sensors relay data to MD An alarm in the shoe to report falling |
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What happens to touch as we age?
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As we age, receptors decrease both in number and sensitivity. There is a decreased ability to detect, locate, and identify objects. This also impairs ability to manipulate objects.
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What happens to smell as we age?
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Modest changes (10%)
Decrease in number of sensory neurons in nasal lining Indicator of Alzheimer's disease Food-borne illnesses, impairs appetite, inability to smell natural, gas, burned food, etc |
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What happens to hearing as we age?
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Age related changes affect hearing and balance
Earwax can build up Organ of Corti can be affected by atherosclerotic changes Prebycusis - hearing loss with age which is common. Lose higher pitches first, inability to screen out background noise, shorter hair cells which respond to higher pitches witness wear and tear |
