Staying Healthy
In the journals: Home vision not as sharp as in doctor's office
The tests you get in the doctor's office to assess your aging eyesight may provide an unrealistic view of how well you actually see at home, according to a study in JAMA Ophthalmology. The likely culprit is inadequate lighting in the home, which is easy to fix.
Over a period of four years, vision researchers tested the eyesight of 175 people age 55 to 90 at a vision clinic and also at home. Most of the study participants had glaucoma, in which excess pressure in the eyeball can damage the nerves that connect the eyes to the brain. By three different measures, vision was consistently better in the clinic than at home:
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