As we get older, one of the first things that will start to diminish is our eyesight.
According to the CDC, about 12 million people over 40 have some sort of vision impairment. If you don’t want to become part of this statistic, you need to take some preventative measures to ensure your eye health is up to snuff.
In this post, we’re going to discuss some specific eye care methods you can use to maintain eyesight as you age. Getting old is never fun, but it’s a lot harder when you can’t see. Keep reading and you’ll know what you need to do to preserve your eye health now and in the future.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Believe it or not, your general health has a huge effect on your aging eyesight. Being overweight has a direct link to things like high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as eyesight problems like glaucoma and cataracts. In fact, the effects of high blood pressure and cholesterol seem to increase the risk of glaucoma.
Maintain a balanced diet and get regular exercise to keep yourself at a healthy weight. Research hasn’t yet shown that losing weight can decrease the likelihood of these eye conditions.
Wear Sunglasses
There are lots of physical and mental benefits to spending more time outdoors, but not necessarily for your eyes. Those with blue eyes and fair skin are more likely to develop cataracts, but too many UV rays in the eyes are bad for pretty much everyone.
Get yourself a good pair of sunglasses and wear them whenever you’re out on a sunny day. If you’ve got a prescription, it’s worthwhile for your long-term eye health to get prescription sunglasses as well.
Take Computer Breaks
For the last 30 years, we’ve gotten all too used to staring at computer screens and now, tablets and smartphones. If you work on a computer all day, you should be taking screen breaks every 20 minutes to preserve your eye health.
You can also buy computer glasses to block the blue light coming off of your screen. Most companies do a better job these days with retina technology, but if you feel eye strain coming on, put your phone down.
Get Some Sleep
Another thing that can keep your eyes from straining is getting the proper amount of sleep – 7 to 9 hours per night. You may have had eye spasms or itchy, bloodshot eyes when you haven’t slept well.
Over time, this dryness can lead to eye infections. You need to get the right amount of sleep for your eyes to heal and avoid long-term issues.
Regular Eye Exams
You should have your eyes checked out on a regular basis so you can catch any problems or signs of problems down the road. When an eye doctor can monitor your eyes, you can fix issues as they arise.
Minor sight deterioration isn’t necessarily a permanent thing or a sign of unhealthy eyes. See your eye doctor and find out if you’re a candidate for refractive surgery.
Taking Eye Care Seriously
Now that you know what you need to do to maintain your eye health, you can get the eye care you need and prevent aging eyes. Use these tips and keep your eyes in tip-top shape for years to come.
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