The Life and Times of Baby Boomers

The Seventh of Numerous Fears – Vision Issue

Baby boomers (often shortened to boomers) are the demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is generally defined as people born from 1946 to 1964, during the post–World War II baby boom. The term is also used outside the United States but the dates, the demographic context and the cultural identifiers may vary. The baby boom has been described variously as a "shockwave" and as "the pig in the python". Baby boomers are often parents of late Gen Xers and Millennials.

Today there are 76,400,000 baby boomers out of 332,000,000 Americans.  Boomers are far and away the largest generation in America and by 2030 every single one of them will be over age 65.  The economic, social, and healthcare impact of this development is enormous.  Just as an example, there is no person on earth who has a clue how Social Security and Medicare can be financed for the Baby Boomer generation. 

Baby Boomers harbor several legitimate, concerns about their future.  Near the top of the list are vision related issues.  I was born in 1946 and so I am in the first class of baby boomers and 74 years old.  When I was a child, I had 20/20 vision although I did not know what that meant.  When I was a teenager, I could face a 90 MPH fastball and hit it out of the park.  Today if I see a 90 MPH fast ball the first thing, I see is the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher.   As a young man in the United States Air Force, I was awarded a marksman’s medal.  Firing a rifle accurately is all about sharp vision.  I did not have a prescription for glasses until I was in my mid-forties.  Today I am a 74-year board certified Old Goat.   I am wearing tri-focals and they give me an interesting appearance.   There is something in my glass lenses that turns them black when I am outside to protect my eyes.  So, when I am outside, I have white hair, a white beard, the rims of my glasses are white, and my glasses lenses are jet black.  I look like I am holding a minor gangster part in a Godfather film.  

 

Today I have serious health problems in both eyes.   I choose not to get into all the clinical detail here.  That is the bad news.  The good news is I have the best Ophthalmologist in America, Dr. Reem Hanna.   Through her superb training she has been able to arrest the progression of my eye disease and I can see.  I cannot hit a fastball, I cannot effectively fire a rifle, but yes, I can see.   I might add I have learned to appreciate the things I can see.  I love to see a flower, a hummingbird, a puppy, a fresh loaf of bread, a beautiful car and, most importantly, my wife’s eyes.  None of this would be possible without the caring and watchful eye of Dr. Reem Hanna.

Although our bodies are impressively built machines, they unfortunately are not immune to aging. This reality is being recognized by an increasingly large portion of baby boomers as they find themselves not seeing as well as they once did.

 

Not that this list is all inclusive, but here are some of the categories of vision problems baby boomers are concerned about.

Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens.  Most cataracts appear with advancing age, but they can be caused by smoking, diabetes, excessive exposure to sunlight, and medications.  They currently affect nearly 20.5 million Americans aged 40 and older.  Common symptoms are:

 

·         Blurred or hazy vision

·        Reduced intensity of colors

·        Increased sensitivity to glare from lights, particularly when driving at night

·        Increased difficulty seeing at night

Presbyopia is a progressive condition that makes reading and doing close work increasingly difficult.  For people in their 40’s and early 50’s, it is often the first sign of aging.  Even those with perfect eyesight may find they can no longer read books and printed materials at normal distances.  Glasses and bifocals can be prescribed to help you adapt to the changes.  Common symptoms are:

 

·         A tendency to hold reading material farther away tot make the letters clearer

·        Presbyopia - farsightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age.

·        Blurred vision at normal reading distance

·        Eyestrain or headaches after reading or doing close work

Macular Degeneration (MD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over age 50.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.8 million people have MD and another 7.3 million are at substantial risk for vision loss from MD.  This eye disease occurs when there are changes to the macula, a small portion of the retina that is located on the inside back layer of the eye.  MD is a loss of central vision that can occ in two forms: “dry” or atrophic and “wet” or exudative.  Common symptoms are:

·         Gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly

·        Objects appear distorted in shape.  Straight lines look wavy or crooked

·        Loss of clear color vision

·        A dark or empty area appears in the center of vision.

 

Dry Eye is a condition in which there are insufficient tears to lubricate and nourish the eye.  Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision.  People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or have a poor quality of tears.  Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in older adults.  Common symptoms are:

 

·         Stinging or burning of the eye.

·        A sandy or gritty feeling as if something is in the eye.

·        Episodes of excess tear following very dry eye periods.

·        Fluctuations in vision.

 

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage to the optic nerve and is characterized by death of nerve tissue resulting in loss of peripheral vision.  The most common form of glaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, is associated with an increase in the fluid pressure inside the eye.  Advanced glaucoma can cause blindness.  Primary open-angle glaucoma develops slowly and usually without any symptoms.  Many people do not become aware they have the condition until significant vision loss has occurred.

 

In closing it is important to say that it is extremely important to have your eyes routinely evaluated by a first-class Ophthalmologist.   You probably will not be able to see the best in America, Dr. Reem Hanna, but there are many fine Ophthalmologists you can see.  Stated simply, if you take care of your eyes, they will take care of you.

 

Jan Ricks Jennings

Senior Executive

Senior Management Resources, LLC

 

July 16, 2021

 

Jan.Jennings@EagleTalons.net

 

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