Most people know that as they age their health is most likely to worsen to one degree or another, and as such it is imperative that everyone take as many precautions to help ensure they stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
Eye health is no exception and is one of the most common ailments that older people present with.
A recent National Eye Institute study predicted that between 2010 and 2050 the number of people affected by common eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and glaucoma will double in size.
The health and functionality of your eyes is one of the most important parts of your body that needs to be closely monitored whatever your age, yes older people are more likely to present with eye conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma but there are a myriad of conditions which also detrimentally affect the younger generations as well.
Whilst some of these conditions could require surgical intervention many conditions can be improved or eliminated by doing simple things like wearing glasses or using eye drops.
By taking the time to do just five simple activities on a regular basis, many of these conditions can be held at bay or erased entirely if the right actions are taken early enough to ensure your eyes stay healthy, functional and pain-free.
Eye Exams
The most obvious of all the tips to improve the health and well-being of your eyes but also the most important.
Eye exams should be undertaken on a regular basis or upon finding a rapid degeneration of your eyes or a particularly worrying or painful problem.
No issue is too insignificant to be overlooked and a simple twenty minute eye exam could not only help to put your mind at ease but could save you from pain, from potentially losing your sight and even from losing your life.
Many very serious underlying conditions (brain tumours, eye cancer etc) have been found during routine eye appointments and as with all health issues, the earlier you find the problem the better the prognosis tends to be.
Individuals 60 and over are recommended to go for an eye exam at least once a year but for anyone with a family history of eye conditions and who already suffer with poor eyesight, regular eye exams will also help ensure your eyes are kept in tip top condition.
Keep An Eye On Your Diet
We have all heard of the old adage that carrots help give you good eyesight and surprisingly there is indeed some truth to this.
Adapting your diet to include foods that benefit your eyes is a fantastically easy way that you could not only make yourself healthier and better able to ward off certain eye conditions but you could also help deterioration of your eyes and sustain their current health.
Dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach contain zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that help prevent cataracts.
Other foods including grapes, that are also rich in antioxidants may help slow or prevent macular degeneration (AMD)
Fish that contain high levels of omega 3 have also been found to not only improve overall eye health but also improve ocular surface inflammation that are commonly associated with severe dry eye.
Watch Your Weight
The chances of developing serious health conditions and diseases noticeably increase for overweight and obese individuals.
Conditions like diabetes can have a terribly detrimental impact on the body and can lead in severe cases to limb amputation, blindness and even death.
Prevention is easier than the cure as the old saying goes and by tackling your weight at the earliest opportunity you will save yourself a whole heap of trouble further on down the line.
By maintaining a healthy diet and doing regular physical activity you can ensure you are less likely to develop serious illnesses and be better able to fight off health conditions that would severely impact an unhealthy and overweight individual.
Throw a Bit of Shade(s)
One of the simplest things you can do for your eyes is popping on a pair of shades when you go out in bright sunlight.
Harsh ultraviolet rays from the sun can be incredibly damaging to the eyes over long periods and even if you aren’t foolish enough to look directly at the sun, if you spend large amounts of time outdoors without wearing sunglasses you risk serious eye damage.
It’s important to remember that sunglasses are first and foremost a functional product and as such do not make the mistake of choosing style over safety and selecting sunglasses with a low protection score.
The ideal sunglasses should block 99 to 100 percent of harmful UVA and UVB radiation ensuring full protection for your eyes.
Rest, Relax and Recuperate
In our modern, hectic, and 24/7 society most people are glued to one screen or another.
Whether you are stuck in front of a computer screen, constantly checking your phone for likes, or entranced by the TV your eyes are constantly “on”.
This constant staring, reading, and watching mean that your eyes do not blink as often as they should which can, in turn, lead to eye health issues.
Many ophthalmologists recommend that people take a 20-20-20 approach, meaning that for every 20 minutes that people spend staring at the screen, these individuals should look at something else that is 20 feet away from them for a period of twenty seconds.
Of course, there is also the option of taking frequent breaks away from your screen time and instead either wondering outdoors and refreshing your eyes that way or else taking an invigorating twenty-minute nap to give your eyes a chance to rest.
It is up to everyone to take responsibility for their own eye health and ensure that they stop themselves from developing preventable eye conditions.
That being said if you ever have any concerns about your eyes it is always best to seek professional medical help from experts, for instance, you can book an eye examination at your local optometrist or check out the highly skilled team over at London Cataract Centre – londoncataractcentre.co.uk
Interesting Related Article: “When Should You See an Eye Doctor?”