Vision Loss Climbs With Age: Why a Kitsilano Optometrist Says Seniors Shouldn't Skip Their Eye Exam
Vancouver, Canada - October 1, 2026 / Dr. Della Chow | Optometrist /
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Oct. 1, 2026 — On National Seniors Day, Dr. Della Chow, OD, a Kitsilano optometrist, is encouraging older residents to book a comprehensive eye exam in Kitsilano, pointing to newly cited national data on vision loss among seniors and BC's coverage for routine screening.
National Data Shows Vision Loss Climbs With Age
According to Statistics Canada's 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, 11.4% of Canadians aged 65 and older reported a seeing disability, compared with 8.9% of Canadians aged 45 to 64 — a gap that widens further with each decade of age. Among Canadians with a seeing disability, 18% needed specialized care from an ophthalmologist, optometrist or optician, according to the same survey. Separately, the Canadian Association of Optometrists estimates that 1 in 4 Canadians will develop irreversible vision loss by age 75, a trend eye care providers say is largely preventable when it is caught through routine screening rather than after symptoms appear. For Kitsilano's growing population of older residents, the numbers point to a simple gap: many of the conditions behind vision loss, including glaucoma, produce few or no symptoms in their earliest and most treatable stages.
"Most vision loss in older adults doesn't happen overnight — it happens gradually, between exams," said Dr. Della Chow, OD, who has cared for Kitsilano patients since 2001. "A comprehensive eye exam catches those changes early, when there is the most that can be done about them."
A Simple Eye Pressure Test Can Catch Glaucoma Early
Among the screenings included in a routine exam is an eye pressure test, one of several measurements optometrists use together to check for glaucoma — a disease that produces no early symptoms but can permanently damage vision once it progresses. A comprehensive glaucoma screening typically combines eye pressure measurement with an examination of the optic nerve and, when needed, imaging or visual field testing to map for early, painless vision loss. The test itself typically adds only a few minutes to a standard visit, and results are reviewed the same day. Risk for glaucoma rises after age 60, along with a family history of the disease, diabetes, or elevated eye pressure, making the screening especially relevant for the senior patients Dr. Chow's practice is reaching out to ahead of National Seniors Day.
"Once vision is lost to glaucoma, it can't be restored. Caught early, it can usually be managed to protect the sight you have," Dr. Chow said. "That's exactly the kind of finding an eye pressure test is designed to catch, well before someone notices a change themselves."
Kitsilano residents aged 65 and older can also make use of BC's Medical Services Plan, which provides a routine eye-exam benefit for residents 65 and older, covering one comprehensive exam annually. Dr. Chow's practice is welcoming new senior patients for eye exams in October, around National Seniors Day on October 1. Most extended health plans are also accepted.
About Dr. Della Chow | Optometrist
Dr. Della Chow | Optometrist has provided full-scope vision and eye health care in Kitsilano since 2001. Led by Dr. Della Chow, OD, a University of Waterloo optometry graduate, the practice offers comprehensive eye exams for patients of all ages, including senior-focused screening such as the eye pressure test used to detect glaucoma, dry eye evaluation, children's vision exams with myopia management using MiyoSmart lenses, and contact lens fittings. The practice accepts BC's Medical Services Plan and most extended health plans and is located at 2589 W Broadway in Kitsilano, Vancouver.
Contact Information:
Dr. Della Chow | Optometrist
2589 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6K 2E9
Canada
Della Chow
+1 778-743-7499
https://drdellaoptometry.com/
