How to Keep Eyes Healthy As We Age

Just as aging shows in your body and organs, so it does in your eyes—and amplifying the older you get. The effects of aging on your eyes may be affected by family heredity or the environment. To counter these effects, go for regular eye checkups at Hunter Family Vision once you turn 40. 

You’ll find plenty of good if you go for regular checkups and comprehensive eye exams. The eye doctor will catch most of the conditions and develop and administer treatment early.

Medicine or surgery can treat most changes and conditions that come with aging. So, make that appointment with your optometrist and take charge of your eyesight.

Here are some tips to keep your eyes healthy

Schedule Regular Eye Checkups

When you keep a regular eye checkup with an eye doctor, you set up a situation where diseases and conditions can be caught early. Consequently, you can get the necessary treatment early enough. Again, you should start scheduling annual eye exams when you reach the age of 40.


 

Eat a Healthy Diet

Your regular diet should include food rich in antioxidants, leafy greens, and fish. Foods like fish—for example, salmon—have omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to the macula's health. The macula is the part of the eye responsible for central vision.

When your diet lacks antioxidants and you consume alcohol and saturated fats, they can form free radical reactions harmful to the macula. Diets with high-fat content may form deposits that constrict the blood vessels, including those in the eyes. This sets up your eyes for more harm.

Exercise

Exercise is a major part of a healthy lifestyle. It improves the health of the whole body. When you exercise regularly, you ensure that your blood circulation is improved. The body's different organs, including the eyes, receive their vital nutrients. Exercise also plays a vital role in removing toxins from the body.

Get Good Sleep

It would be best if you had a good sleep regime established. A constant time for going to bed and waking up should give you at least six hours of sleep every day. Sleep allows the body to rejuvenate and rest. This rest is vital for the eyes, especially if you work in front of a screen throughout the day.

Quit Smoking

Smoking causes a lot of oxidative stress to your eyes. The connection between smoking and the risk of eye conditions is not clear. However, smoking increases the risk of developing these conditions. It would help if you tried to quit smoking while you are young because the effects of smoking on the eyes can last up to 20 years after quitting.

Put On Sunglasses

It would be best if you would protect yourself from harmful UV rays. To do so, go for sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection when you are going out. You could also wear a wide-brimmed hat to cover the sides of the sunglasses.

For more on keeping eyes healthy as we age, visit Hunter Family Vision at our office in Leawood or Prairie Village, Kansas. You can call (913) 681-8555 or (913) 381-2323 to book an appointment today. For urgent care after hours, call (913) 204-0239.