If you’re over the age of 40, chances are you now use reading glasses or bifocals to improve the clarity of your vision. This is a natural consequence of aging as the eyes’ focusing muscles become weaker and other changes occur in the eyes. With advancing age, however, a person’s vision can also be subject to serious diseases that may cause visual loss if not treated early enough.

One of these eye diseases is senile macular degeneration or SMD. SMD attacks a part of the eye known as the macula, located in the retina at the back of the eye. The macula is a light-sensing nerve tissue that lines the inside of the eyes. It makes it possible for you to see an object in detail. One of the symptoms of SMD is loss of the ability to read and see objects clearly.

The need to detect eye problems and diseases as early as possible is one of the best reasons why you should have regular eye exams. If you haven’t had an eye exam recently, make an appointment with your eye doctor now.