# Eye Exams Over 60

After sixty, annual examination becomes important rather than advisable. Cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration all rise sharply in prevalence, and all three are managed considerably better when detected early.

The value of an annual examination changes character after sixty. In your thirties it is mostly about the prescription. After sixty it is mostly about finding disease early enough to do something about it.

Cataract develops in nearly everybody eventually and is entirely treatable, with the timing of surgery driven by how much it interferes with what you want to do. Glaucoma is silent and irreversible, so detection is everything. Macular degeneration affects central vision and, in its wet form, needs urgent treatment to preserve sight.

Alongside those, the practical questions matter: whether night driving is still safe, whether contrast sensitivity has dropped enough to affect stairs, and whether current glasses are still right for how you live.


## Questions and answers
**When should I have cataract surgery?**

When the cataract interferes with what you want to do rather than at any particular measurement. Some people are troubled early because of night driving demands, others manage comfortably for years.

**How do I know if I have macular degeneration?**

Early stages have no symptoms and are found on retinal imaging. Later signs include distortion, with straight lines appearing wavy, and blurring at the centre of vision. Any sudden distortion needs prompt attention.

**Should I be worried about glaucoma?**

It is worth screening for rather than worrying about. It is common after sixty, entirely silent, and manageable when detected. Screening is part of every comprehensive examination here.

**Is my night driving vision normal for my age?**

Some reduction is expected, but significant difficulty is usually caused by something addressable such as cataract, an outdated prescription or lens coatings. It is worth assessing rather than accepting.

## Related

- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/comprehensive-eye-exams/senior-eye-exams
- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/comprehensive-eye-exams/cataract-evaluation
- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/specialty-eye-care/macular-degeneration
- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/specialty-eye-care/glaucoma-management

---## About this practice
Arizona's Vision Eye Care Center, 15215 S 48th St Ste 180, Phoenix, AZ 85044.
Phone (480) 706-3937. Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Independent optometry practice, founded 1994. One location. Does not perform refractive or cataract surgery.
This site publishes no star rating and no review count, because the figures across the practice's own properties contradict one another and cannot be verified.
This page is general information, not medical advice.