Physical changes

learn how to connect what he saw and what he already knew by his sense of touch. This made me realize that we take our eyesight for granted. Most of the eye conditions the author mentioned can be controlled or treated with corrective lenses or surgery.   Out of all the condition, Glaucoma is the scariest aging conditions to me. Though the author clearly mentions that Glaucoma may or may not be part of normal aging, so therefore it might not affect some people, it is a significant eye condition to me. This is because; according to table 2.4 I’m considered to be a high risk person for the disease.  All the risk factors for Glaucoma and even Cataracts mentioned in that table apply to me. Loosing eyesight not only reduces social interactions but also independence.  Becoming blind at an old age is not the same as being born blind. A person who is born blind usually adjusts to an independent life much better than a person who became blind at old age. The former will naturally develop exceptional abilities of other senses, for instance hearing or smelling, that will enable them to function and adapt to the world without seeing. As we age all our other senses diminishes  and therefore the loss of our eyesight can be more damaging since it will leave us almost completely dependent on our loved ones.  Prior to reading about this disease, I had no idea that one can have Glaucoma and go blind without having any symptoms.  According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation a patient with the disease could have symptoms or not.  And vision that is already lost can not be restored, but rather halted. That’s what makes this type of eye condition even scarier than other conditions. Fortunately there are ways one can inhibit this disease from causing complete blindness.  A few are mentioned in the book but the most important is early detection. Though I wear eyeglasses I hardly keep up with my annual eye exams. But after knowing a bit more about this disease I will most definitely keep up with the checkups. ReferencesBjorklund, B.R. & Bee, H.L. (2008). The journey of adulthood (6th edition). New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall Publishers. Glaucoma Facts and Stats. (2009). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from  http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/glaucoma_facts.php