How Should Eyecare Change As You Age?

Your eyesight can change radically as you age, but these changes do not have to ruin the quality of your life. With appropriate eye care, you can protect your vision as your eye health and needs change in your senior years.

 

Some of the visual changes you may experience include taking time to adjust to varying light intensities and having difficulty telling colors apart. Moreover, you may lose the ability to see things up close.

 

Not all changes in your aging eyes can impair your vision, but they can put you at risk of eye problems. That is why you must keep your eye health strong by making suitable adjustments to your routine.

 

Have Frequent Eye Exams

Frequent eye exams are crucial to detecting eye problems before they become something severe. Cataracts, age-macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment are serious eye problems to watch out for. The sooner your eye doctor catches these problems and treats them, the more likely you are to preserve your good eyesight.

 

Also, health issues affecting your body can affect your eyesight. People with high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes or taking medicines with eye-related risks are more likely to develop eyesight problems.

 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends yearly eye exams for everyone over 60 years. Your eye doctor may also suggest more frequent eye checkups depending on your eye health and needs.

 

Make Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Choices

There are ways you can change your diet and lifestyle to protect your eye health at any age, even as you get older.

 

• Stop smoking

• Eat wholesome, nutrient-rich foods that contain antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, lutein, and zeaxanthin

• Drink a lot of water to keep your eyes lubricated

• Be physically active and keep a healthy weight
  
   

Making healthy diet and lifestyle choices can boost your eye health and help keep your vision strong as you age.

 

Shield Your Eyes From the Sun

Protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light by wearing protective sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of that light. Also, wearing a cap or a wide-brimmed hat can help keep the sun out of your eyes while outdoors.

Control Diabetes and Hypertension

Hypertension or diabetes can increase your risk of eye diseases. Diabetes can put you at risk for diabetic retinopathy, whereas hypertension can damage your retinal blood vessels. Managing these illnesses (if you have them) can help safeguard your eyesight and eye health.

Minimize Digital Eyestrain

How much time do you spend on your phone or computer? Looking at a luminous screen for hours can cause eyestrain and fatigue, headaches, blurry vision, itchy eyes, or temporary eyesight problems. These issues produce a set of symptoms that result in digital eyestrain.

While digital eyestrain does not usually result in permanent eye conditions, its symptoms can worsen preexisting eye problems. To avoid or reduce digital eyestrain, practice taking regular eye breaks. Look away from your digital screen every 20 minutes at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. That will help minimize the strain.


 

For more on how eyecare should change as you age, contact Eyes on You, PC at our office in Portland, Oregon. Call (971) 252-7500 to book an appointment today.