Many people don't realize how untreated, age-related eye changes can harm vision and, eventually, their entire quality of life.

In my practice, I sometimes see the unfortunate results of what happens when an older person waits too long for an eye exam.

A delay of even a few years can make the difference between normal vision and going blind. While some eye conditions can be pretty obvious, others can sneak up on you.

As an example, a woman came to my office for an eye examination after being pushed by her family to do so. She had not been seen by an eye doctor for 25 years. She insisted that she could see just fine, and that her eyes gave her no problems.

But warning bells went off right away when I noticed that her vision was only about 20/80. During the dilated eye examination of her retinas, I found terrible damage from diabetes, with blood leaks and permanent scarring.

I referred her to a retinal specialist and an internal medicine doctor. But it was too late. She went blind and then died within a year.

While this is an extreme and very scary example, this true story clearly shows why regular eye exams are essential — especially as we age.