Have you noticed any changes in your eyesight in the last few years?
The older we get, the more important it is for us to be on the watch for symptoms of age-related vision loss.
Common Types Of Age-Related Vision Loss
Most of us will eventually need glasses to read, even if we’ve had perfect vision our whole lives. This is called presbyopia, nearsightedness caused by loss of flexibility in our eyes’ lenses. If you find yourself struggling more and more to read small print, or if you have to hold your book farther and farther from your face to read it, it’s probably time to buy a pair of reading glasses.
More serious eye conditions that can affect us as we age are glaucoma, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and cataracts. While all of these can cause vision loss, the good news is that most of them can be treated, delayed, or even reversed — particularly through early detection, which can be achieved through regular eye exams.
Live An Eye-Healthy Lifestyle
As important as early detection is to preserving healthy vision, there are also many things you can do in your everyday life to keep your eyesight healthy.
Stay active. Getting plenty of exercise is great for your whole body, including your eyes! Studies show that those who live sedentary lifestyles are more prone to age-related vision loss than active people.
Eat healthy. The foods you eat can reduce your risk for eye problems like age-related macular degeneration. A diet rich in bell peppers, carrots, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, salmon, blueberries, chia seeds, and turkey will give your eyes important nutrients for healthy vision.
UV protection. Whether direct or indirect, the sun’s rays are harmful to our eyes, and the damage can be cumulative over the course of our lives. Make sure to wear sunglasses with 100 percent protection from UV-A and UV-B rays to keep your eyes safe!
Don’t smoke. Where eating healthy and staying active are great for our eyes and our overall health, smoking is harmful to every part of the body. A smoking habit greatly increases the risk of developing eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye, and diabetic retinopathy.
Cut down on screen time. When we spend hours and hours glued to our screens, it can be very hard on our eyes. A simple way to reduce or prevent symptoms of digital eye strain is to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Spend a minimum of twenty seconds looking at something at least twenty feet away once every twenty minutes to give your eyes a break!
Remember your eye exams. Again, regular eye exams are crucial to catching eye problems before they become serious, so make sure you’re getting those appointments in!
We’re Looking Out For Your Eyes
We can’t overstate the importance of regular eye exams for your healthy vision. Whether it’s been a while since your last appointment or you’ve started noticing any changes to your vision, we would love to see you so that we can make sure that your vision is in good shape.
This post originally appeared on Vision Source.