​​​​​​​Your eyes not only let you see where you are going, but they help with your balance and movement.

Eye changes

As you get older, you may notice changes to your eyes and vision:

• Your eyes are more sensitive to glare. You may need more time to adjust to sudden light changes.
• You have less depth perception. It becomes harder to judge distance and depth.
• You need more light to see at night. A 60-year-old needs 10 times more light to see at night than a teenager.

Eye exams

It’s important to have an eye exam every year with your optometrist (eye doctor). Having a yearly eye exam helps keep your eyes healthy, find problems early, and manage any eye conditions you have.

Alberta residents who 65 years old and older can get a free eye exam every year.

Safety tips

To prevent falls, make sure you are seeing as well as possible when you move around:

• If you have multifocal lenses, tilt your head down to look out of the top half of your glasses when using stairs.
• Take off your reading glasses when you walk.
• To avoid glare, put shades over light bulbs, and use blinds or light curtains on windows. Wear sunglasses when you are outside.
• Pause and give your eyes time to adjust to changes in light.
• Put non-skid or reflective strips at the edge of each step and door thresholds. Use a colour that is different from the floor.
• Remove patterned carpet on stairs.

Learn more about making your home safer when you have vision problems (video).

Have enough light

Having enough light can help you be safe and see better in and around your home:

• Have a lamp by your bed with a switch that is easy to reach.
• Use the highest wattage bulb recommended in each light fixture.
• Keep pathways well-lit inside and outside with night lights and motion detector lights.

Learn more about risk factors for falling.