As much as we try to avoid it, aging is inevitable. When someone thinks of aging, they think about how their health may decline. However, that doesn’t have to happen.
While it’s true your bodily functions get weaker as time goes on, that doesn’t mean they can’t be kept in good shape. One of these important functions is your eyesight. Maintaining good eye health while you’re young is vital to maintaining your vision when you’re older. As you age, continue to keep up habits that encourage good vision and eye health.
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Exercise
Aside from promoting better overall health, regular exercise is also important when it comes to maintaining good eye health. Regular exercise is a great way to get your blood flowing and improve circulation. Improved blood circulation provides your eyes with more oxygen and also helps to flush out any toxins.
Keep Your Hands Clean
Always remember to wash your hands before touching your eyes. This is especially true for those who wear contacts. If you rub your eye or touch a contact lens without washing your hands first, you’re potentially exposing them to bacteria that can cause infections. Infections can be as simple as conjunctivitis, which is pink eye, while others can cause almost irreparable damage to the eye.
Eat Right
Like exercise, eating a healthy diet is another factor that can affect eye health. Eating foods that are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants can improve eye health. Specifically, salmon, tuna, and anchovies contain omega-3, whereas blueberries, grapes and mangoes are rich in antioxidants. Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage and green peppers provide a daily dose of vitamin A and C.
Treat Issues Quickly
If you do develop eye issues, you may be tempted to ignore them or simply hope they heal themselves. However, most likely, the problem will not go away on its own. Talk to your optometrist about what treatment you need. It may be as simple as needing reading glasses. Other issues can require surgery, which is usually quick and simple.
For example, if you develop cataracts, your eye doctor will likely recommend cataract surgery, which is usually an outpatient procedure that only takes about twenty minutes. Afterwards, they’ll give you an ocular steroid treatment to prevent inflammation. They’ll also likely send you home with some eye drops to administer over the next couple days.
Refrain From Smoking
Smoking is one of the leading causes of ocular problems. Smoking depletes oxygen levels, which not only damages your lungs, it leaves you vulnerable to eye issues.
Some eye problems smoking can cause include cataracts, blurry vision, loss of vision, optic nerve damage, and glaucoma. Smoking is addictive, so if you aren’t able to stop on your own, ask your family physician for help.
Decrease Screen Time
Finally, another leading source of eye issues is excessive screen use. Most screens produce blue light, which is known to cause headaches and eye strain, especially when you stare at them for long periods of time. Blue light is emitted from smartphones, laptops, and even your television. If you work on the computer, consider buying a blue light filter.
Your eyes need to last you a lifetime. And while you can’t really control getting older, you can live a healthier lifestyle to preserve your eyesight and boost eye health.
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