Your eyesight naturally changes as you get older. You may need brighter light to read a menu, take longer to adjust to darkness or suddenly find yourself holding the fine print farther away.
But not every change in your vision should be blamed on getting older.
Some seemingly minor changes — from seeing little “cobwebs” floating around to noticing that straight lines suddenly look wavy — can be signs that your eyes need attention.
Here are seven vision changes you shouldn’t ignore.
1. Your Vision Is Suddenly Blurry
Gradual changes in eyesight are common. A sudden change is different.
Blurry or hazy vision can have many possible causes, ranging from relatively simple vision problems to conditions affecting the lens, retina or other parts of the eye.
Cataracts, for example, can make vision increasingly blurry or hazy as they progress. They can also make colors appear faded. But cataracts generally develop gradually rather than causing dramatic changes overnight.
Pay particular attention when blurriness appears suddenly, is much worse in one eye, or is accompanied by pain, redness or other new symptoms.
2. Straight Lines Suddenly Look Wavy
Here’s an easy vision change to overlook.
The edge of a door, window blinds or lines of text that you’ve always seen as straight may suddenly appear bent, distorted or wavy.
That can be associated with changes in the macula — the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) becomes more common as we get older. In later AMD, people may notice straight lines looking wavy or crooked, blurry areas near the center of their vision or blank spots.
If straight lines suddenly start looking distorted, don’t simply assume you need stronger reading glasses.
3. You’re Having More Trouble Seeing at Night
Have you started avoiding driving after dark?
Maybe headlights suddenly seem unbearably bright. Perhaps it takes longer to see when you walk into a dim restaurant. Or you simply don’t feel as confident behind the wheel after sunset.
Some difficulty adjusting to glare and needing more light can occur with normal aging.
But worsening night vision can also occur with eye conditions such as cataracts. Cataracts can cause trouble seeing at night and make headlights, lamps and sunlight appear unusually bright.
If night driving has become noticeably harder, mention it at your next eye exam.
4. You Suddenly See Floaters or “Cobwebs”
Ever look at a bright wall or blue sky and notice a little speck drifting across your vision?
Those are commonly called floaters.
They may resemble dots, strings, squiggly lines or even tiny cobwebs that seem to move when you move your eyes.
A few longstanding floaters can be common, particularly as we get older.
What’s more concerning is a sudden shower of new floaters, especially if they’re accompanied by flashes of light or another sudden change in vision.
Those symptoms can sometimes occur when the retina is torn or detached and deserve prompt evaluation.
5. You See Flashes of Light
Flashes are different from floaters.
People sometimes describe them as seeing a camera flash, lightning streak or sudden spark in the side of their vision — even though there isn’t actually a light there.
Changes in the gel-like vitreous inside the eye become increasingly common with age and can sometimes produce flashes and floaters.
But because new flashes can also accompany a retinal tear or detachment, sudden new flashes shouldn’t simply be ignored.
This is especially important if they occur alongside a sudden increase in floaters or a shadow in your vision.
6. You See Halos Around Lights
Do streetlights suddenly have glowing rings around them?
Halos can have several possible explanations. Cataracts are one of them.
As the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, light can scatter differently as it enters the eye. Cataracts can also cause sensitivity to bright lights, blurry vision and difficulty seeing at night.
However, halos accompanied by sudden severe eye pain, redness, nausea or blurry vision can be more urgent. Those symptoms can occur with angle-closure glaucoma and require immediate medical attention.
7. A Shadow or “Curtain” Appears in Your Vision
This is the one you really don’t want to wait on.
Some people experiencing a retinal detachment describe seeing a dark shadow, veil or curtain moving across part of their visual field.
It may occur along with flashes or a sudden increase in floaters.
A detached retina can threaten vision if it isn’t treated promptly.
If you suddenly notice a curtain-like shadow or significant loss of vision, seek urgent eye care rather than waiting to see whether it disappears.
What About Double Vision?
Double vision is another change worth mentioning to your doctor, particularly when it’s new.
Cataracts can sometimes cause double vision, but there are many other possible explanations as well.
Because new double vision isn’t something you can reliably diagnose yourself, it’s worth getting evaluated rather than assuming it’s simply part of aging.
Don’t Wait Until Your Vision Changes
Here’s perhaps the most important thing to remember:
Some serious eye diseases don’t cause noticeable symptoms in their early stages.
That’s one reason regular comprehensive dilated eye exams become increasingly important as you get older.
Aging certainly changes your eyes. But significant vision loss isn’t something you should simply accept as a normal part of getting older.
And when something suddenly looks different — especially new flashes, a shower of floaters, distorted lines, severe eye pain or a curtain-like shadow — your eyes may be telling you it’s time to pay attention.
