Age Proof your Vision

As you get older, so do your eyes. The major causes of vision impairment and blindness in older adults are age-related eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.

Common age-related eye diseases

• Glaucoma — a group of diseases that damages a nerve in the back of your eye called the optic nerve, affecting one or both eyes.
• Cataracts — a clouding of your eye’s lens.
• Macular Degeneration — a slow breakdown of the light-sensitive tissue in your eye, causing loss of your central vision.

The good news is, there are ways to proactively age-proof your vision. The key is early detection by scheduling an appointment with your optician. Not only can an eye exam uncover a vision issue before it becomes serious, but other health conditions can also be detected prior to symptoms surfacing, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and vitamin deficiencies.

There are also other simple, yet effective ways to maintain healthy eyes and promote healthy aging.

Wear Sunglasses

Shield your eyes from the sun and its potentially harmful elements by wearing sunglasses with lenses that provide UV protection.

Stop Smoking

Smoking increases the risk of eye diseases that can lead to vision loss and blindness so quitting will help improve your optical and overall health.

Eat Healthy

Try incorporating these vitamins and nutrients into your diet to improve vision and overall health.

• Zinc—found in foods such as turkey, eggs, peanuts and whole grains, you may be able to slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration by adding Zinc to your diet.
• Vitamin C—an antioxidant which may help prevent the development of cataracts. It’s found in foods like red peppers, oranges, strawberries, broccoli and kiwi.
• Vitamin A—there’s a reason we’ve heard “eat your carrots” our entire lives. That’s because carrots contain Vitamin A and not getting enough of it can lead to dry eye, corneal scarring, night blindness and vision loss.

Get Moving

Regular activity can positively impact physical health as well as mental and emotional wellbeing. For older adults, added benefits of exercise includes:

• Preventing chronic disease: Exercise provides a protective effect against a host of chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
• Keeping your mind sharp: Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age.
• Improving strength and balance: This helps prevent falls and keeps you independent.
• Know your family history. Some eye diseases are genetic, and awareness leads to early treatment.