Over the last several years, have you noticed any sudden or gradual changes in your vision? The older that you get, the more important it is for you to pay attention for signs and symptoms of age-related vision loss. Since we care about lasting healthy vision, we at Performance Vision want to share some information on how you can prepare yourself for this part of your life.
Eventually, most people will require eyeglasses to read, and this is true even for those individuals who had perfect vision for their entire lives. This condition is called presbypoia, nearsightedness that is caused by the loss of flexibility in the lenses of the eyes. If you notice that you’re struggling more and more to read fine print or if you need to hold a book farther away from your face in order to read the print, it is likely time to purchase a pair of reading glasses.
There are some eye conditions that are more serious in nature that can affect you as you get older, such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and macular degeneration. All of these eye conditions can result in vision loss; however, there is good news: the majority of them can be delayed, treated, and potentially even reversed—especially with early detection thanks to routine eye examinations.
Just as it is important to undergo routine eye exams to detect eye conditions early on so that your vision can be preserved, it is also important to maintain healthy eyesight through day-to-day activities and habits. Here is what you can do.
Remain Active – Getting exercise is not only good for your entire body, but it can be great for your eyes as well. Research has shown that individuals who lead inactive lifestyles are more vulnerable to age-related vision loss than individuals who lead more active lifestyles.
Eat Healthy – Believe it or not, the foods that you eat play a significant role in the eye conditions that you may develop. Certain foods may reduce your risk of developing conditions like age-related macular degeneration. You may want to consider a diet that is rich in carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, dark leafy greens, blueberries, salmon, turkey, and chia seeds—these all have important nutrients that your eyes need to maintain healthy vision.
UV Protection – Directly or indirectly, UV rays are extremely harmful to your eyes, and over the course of your life, the damage can be cumulative. So, when you are outside—even on a cloudy day—make sure you have sunglasses on that have 100 percent protection from both UV-A and UV-B rays.
Avoid Smoking – Smoking is harmful to all parts of your body, and this includes your eyes. Smoking significantly increases the chances of developing various eye diseases and conditions like dry eye, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.
Reduce Screen Time – Screen time—whether it is a computer, tablet, smartphone, or TV—is bad for the eyes. It is important to reduce screen time whenever possible. Whenever using screens, follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, spend at least 20 seconds looking at an object that is at least 20 feet away in order to give your eyes a much-needed break from the screen.
Don’t Forget Your Eye Exams – Routine eye exams are vital to early detection of eye issues prior to them becoming serious—sometimes too serious to even treat—so ensure that you are making those appointments and keeping them.
At Performance Vision, your vision is our utmost priority. We cannot overplay the importance of routine eye exams for healthy eyesight. Regardless of whether you have noticed some changes in your eyesight or it has been over a year since your last exam, contact us today to schedule an appointment so we can ensure that all is well with your vision.