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What actually happens to your eyes as you age? Brandon Menke, MD, ophthalmologist and surgeon at Ilumin Eye Care Center breaks it down.

The three most common age-related eye conditions are cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Most people will encounter at least one of them.

Cataracts are where the natural lens inside your eye — think of it as a clear, squishy M&M when you're born — gradually hardens, yellows, and clouds over time. That's what causes the need for reading glasses early on, and eventually cataract surgery.

Macular degeneration affects the retina — the "film" in the camera of your eye. It impacts your central vision and comes in two forms: dry, which progresses slowly and is often managed with vitamins, and wet, which requires ongoing injections. You probably know someone dealing with it.

Glaucoma is a pressure-related disease. As we age, pressure inside the eye can gradually rise and damage the optic nerve — affecting vision from the outside in, often without obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred.

The good news: all three conditions are detectable early with a comprehensive eye exam. Catching them before they progress is exactly what we're here for.