Aging changes in the senses

Some hearing loss is almost inevitable. It is estimated that 30% of all people over 65 have significant hearing impairment.

Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound has problems getting through the external and middle ear. Surgery or a hearing aid may be helpful for this type of hearing loss, depending on the specific cause.

Sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to the inner ear, auditory nerve, or the brain. This type of hearing loss may or may not respond to treatment.

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Persistent, abnormal ear noise (tinnitus) is another fairly common hearing problem, especially for older adults.

VISION

Vision occurs when light is processed by your eye and interpreted by your brain. Light passes through the transparent eye surface (cornea).

Your pupil is an opening to the eye interior. It becomes larger or smaller to regulate the amount of light that enters your eye. The colored portion (iris) is a muscle that controls the pupil size.

The inside of your eye is filled with a gel-like fluid. There is a flexible, transparent lens that focuses light on your retina (the back of the eye). Your retina converts light energy into a nerve impulse that is carried to the brain and interpreted.

Some age-related eye changes may begin as early as your 30s. Aging eyes produce less tears. Dry eyes can be quite uncomfortable. Many people find relief by using eyedrops or artificial tears solutions.

All of the eye structures change with aging. The cornea becomes less sensitive, so injuries may not be noticed. By the time you turn 60, your pupils decrease to about one-third of the size they were when you were 20.

The pupil may also react more slowly in response to darkness or bright light. The lens becomes yellowed, less flexible, and slightly cloudy. The fat pads supporting the eye decrease and the eye sinks back into the socket. The eye muscles become less able to fully rotate the eye.

As you age, the sharpness of your vision (visual acuity) may gradually decline. Glasses or contact lenses may help correct age-related vision changes. You may eventually need bifocals.

Almost everyone older than 55 needs glasses at least part of the time. However, the amount of change is not universal. Only 15% to 20% of older people have bad enough vision to impair driving ability, and only 5% become unable to read. The most common problem is difficulty focusing the eyes (a condition called presbyopia).

You may be less able to tolerate glare, and you may find that you have more trouble adapting to darkness or bright light. Many older people find that although their vision is good enough to drive during the day, they must give up night driving because of problems with glare, brightness, and darkness. Significant difficulty with night driving may be the first sign of a cataract (a clouding of the eye lens).