Aging is a beautiful part of life! Aging gracefully there is an appearance of wrinkles, slowing metabolism, graying hair, and your eyes are eventually affected by age. It is important to understand how your eyes change with age and what you can do to keep them in the best health possible.
As we get older, our bodies do not function the same as it did when we were younger, and that includes our eyes. While not all eye diseases can be prevented, there are simple steps that everyone can take to help their eyes remain healthy now and reduce their chances of vision loss in the future.
Here are tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology to help your eyes stay healthy:
Keep Health Problems In Check
Midlife is usually when systemic health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes may be diagnosed or become more problematic. These diseases can also affect eye health. In fact, one warning sign of both high blood pressure and diabetes is when you notice your ability to see clearly changes often.
Make sure you tell your eye doctor about your health conditions and what medications and nutritional supplements you use. You should also discuss with your eye doctor your exercise, eating, and sleeping patterns. Your overall health and eye health are related.
Relieve Dry Eye
This uncomfortable eye problem becomes more common as we age.
Some dry eye tips are below.
- If you have contact lenses, follow the use guidelines and avoid wearing lenses longer than recommended. If dry eye persists, talk to your eye doctor about possible treatments.
- Some medicines can increase dry eye. If you are taking pain relievers, antidepressants, antihistamines, or have questions about your medications, talk with your eye doctor.
- Protect eyes with wrap-around sunglasses and avoid smoky, dry, dusty, or windy conditions.
- Some research suggests that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) may reduce or help prevent dry eye.
Keep Moving for Your Eye Health
Our eyes need oxygen and good blood circulation, both provided by regular exercise. Regular exercise also helps keep our weight in the normal range, reducing the risk of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.
Beneficial exercise for your eyes can be as vigorous as running or as gentle as walking and yoga.
Sleep Well, See Well
Healthy, uninterrupted sleep is so important for our overall health, including eye health. Sleeping helps our eyes get the moisture and lubrication they need. Also, during sleep, our eyes clear out irritants such as dust or allergens that may have accumulated during the day.
