It isn't uncommon to experience a change in your eyesight. This is especially true the older that you get. However, when you begin to lose your vision, it could be a sign of a serious problem, which could increase your overall risk of infection, injury and even death. If you haven't been taking your eyesight and eye health seriously, here are four reasons that you may want to consider doing so as soon as possible:

1. Vision Loss May Be a Sign of Other Health Problems.

Although aging is the most attributed factor of vision loss, health conditions can cause it as well, such as diabetes. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, diabetes is among the leading causes of individual blindness. An eye exam will be able to determine if you are suffering from diabetes and your optometrist can recommend that you see a general care physician.

2. Loss of Eyesight Could Result in a Higher Risk of Death.

You know that vision loss will interfere with your ability to perform certain daily, basic tasks, such as using the phone, completing housework and grocery shopping. These are known as instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). A new study shows that when a person's ability to perform these IADLs that they have a higher chance of dying. In fact, the research suggests that you are nearly one-third more at risk of mortality than if you were able to complete IADLs without a problem.

3. Vision Loss May Result in Depression.

According to a study published in 2013, there is a significantly higher chance of developing depression if you are 20 years of age or older and are suffering from loss of eyesight. In the study, it was reported that over 10 percent of the participants who had suffered self-reported vision loss or visual acuity impairment had experienced major depression symptoms.

4. Loss of Eyesight Could Result in the Development of Anxiety as Well.

A study that was published in 2014 has linked anxiety, depression and vision loss with each another, especially in older adults. Just over 14 percent of the participants had signs of anxiety and nearly 15 percent of them had symptoms of depression. The result of the study was that there was a substantial connection between vision loss and the development of anxiety and depression.

If you have not had an eye exam recently, it is important that you schedule an appointment sooner rather than later. Eye exams have the ability to detect numerous problems early on so that treatment can be started and be more effective for your, which could help reduce your risk of losing your eyesight and the various problems associated with vision loss.

To learn more, contact a vision center like Richards Charles A OD.