| Having trouble reading a menu or need more light | | | | sugar intake as over 11 teaspoons a day can |
| reading a magazine or newspaper? If you | | | | dehydrate the eyes. |
| answered yes and are over 40, join the club! | | | | Nutritional Supplements: Many aging vision |
| Millions of people in your age group find their vision | | | | conditions start with nutritional deficiencies |
| is not as sharp as it used to be, have trouble | | | | especially of the antioxidant type. Vitamins and |
| reading labels on food packages in the grocery | | | | minerals such as beta carotene (Vitamin A), |
| store, and find they are squinting more and more | | | | Vitamin C, Vitamin E, resveratrol, selenium and |
| trying to read traffic signs! | | | | zinc, can all help prevent damaged cells from |
| It's a fact of life. More and more middle aged | | | | oxidative stress (such as occurs in age-related |
| Americans experience vision impairment of some | | | | macular degeneration) and clogged arteries (which |
| form or another from simple inability to read fine | | | | can decrease blood flow to eyes). Other agents |
| print to cataracts, which affects more than 65 | | | | like lutein (from yellow carotenoid vegetables like |
| million Americans. Some have even more serious | | | | squash, sweet potatoes, egg yolks) help absorb |
| eye conditions like macular degeneration, and | | | | blue light from the sun; Zeaxanthin (also from |
| glaucoma, the leading cause of vision impairment | | | | yellow carotenoids) protects against AMD and |
| in the United States today. | | | | cataracts; Bilberry contains flavonoids (found in |
| You might wonder whether there is anything you | | | | blue, purple, red fruits and flowers) and is very |
| can do to protect your eyes from the effects of | | | | beneficial in improving night vision. |
| aging? Well, I'm glad you asked, allow me to share | | | | Quit Smoking: Smoking greatly speeds up eye |
| some information about aging and your eyes | | | | aging/damage through chemical exposure in its |
| along with some specific things you can do to | | | | smoke. It also decreases Vitamin C in your body |
| improve your vision and prevent some of the | | | | that is a crucial antioxidant for your eyes. |
| conditions mentioned earlier. First, let's take a look | | | | Protect Your Eyes: Sunglasses and hats with |
| at a few common conditions that can occur with | | | | visors to shade your eyes on very sunny days |
| aging. | | | | can help prevent developing cataracts and |
| Common Aging Eye Conditions | | | | damage from too much blue light absorption from |
| Around age 40, the human eye begins to undergo | | | | the sun. |
| certain changes associated with age which include | | | | Control Your Health: Other health conditions like |
| the following: | | | | diabetes, high blood pressure, Sjogren syndrome |
| Trouble reading fine print: Holding print farther | | | | have a direct effect on your eyes. If left |
| away from you to read it is called presbyopia | | | | uncontrolled, an eye condition called diabetic |
| that most commonly occurs in people over age | | | | retinopathy can occur which can decrease vision. |
| 40. Headaches, or a feeling of "tired eyes" may | | | | Uncontrolled high blood pressure, or hypertension, |
| also accompany it. This condition is easily | | | | can damage blood vessels in your eyes that |
| corrected with simple reading glasses that you | | | | decrease blood flow to them and thereby |
| can buy at the store. | | | | decrease nutrients getting to the eye. Sjogren |
| Spots that float: These are tiny dark specks, or | | | | syndrome is a chronic dryness of all the mucous |
| floaters, that seem to bounce around your field | | | | membranes of the body including the eyes. Some |
| of vision, most commonly seen on a sunny day. | | | | medications for certain illnesses may have |
| These usually are harmless but if they become | | | | vision-related side effects. Ask your doctor about |
| bigger or more in number, and/or occur with | | | | any Rx you take. |
| flashes of light, they can warn of a condition called | | | | Eye Exams: Seeing an eye doctor for yearly eye |
| retinal detachment. | | | | exams can detect any eye conditions early and |
| Dry eyes: Dry eye conditions most commonly | | | | treat them before they damage your vision. |
| start to occur over age 45 in most people and | | | | Lubricate: Dry eyes cannot only be uncomfortable, |
| can be a result of hormone changes, prolonged | | | | they can open the door for other eye conditions. |
| computer use, certain allergic conditions or other | | | | Eye tissues normally rest in a high fluid |
| health conditions. The tear ducts decrease the | | | | environment that protects them from harm. |
| amount of fluid they produce and dry, scratchy | | | | When that fluid level decreases, the tissues are |
| eyes can result. These are usually treated with | | | | more vulnerable to damage. The most important |
| lubricating drops, (see Prevent Aging Eyes | | | | form of lubrication for your eyes comes from |
| Naturally). | | | | adequate water intake in your body in general. If |
| Tearing: One or both eyes may suddenly develop | | | | you're dry, your eyes are. As I always advise my |
| tearing due to the sensitivity to wind or light. It | | | | patients, drink half your body weight in ounces of |
| may indicate a blocked tear duct or an eye | | | | water per day. Other forms of lubrication include |
| infection, or allergies (see Prevent Aging Eyes | | | | drops, which can consist of an artificial tear |
| Naturally). Wearing sunglasses to protect your | | | | solution you can buy over the counter, or herbal |
| eyes from wind or light can help, but if excessive | | | | drops that help clear the itching and redness from |
| tearing occurs, see an eye doctor | | | | seasonal allergies. These are usually found in health |
| (ophthalmologist) to determine the cause of the | | | | food stores. |
| tearing. | | | | Decrease Computer Use/Rest: If you work at a |
| As you start approaching age 60-65, other eye | | | | computer 8 hours a day, remember to blink! |
| conditions may start to occur as well including: | | | | Studies show that blinking slows down while |
| Cataracts: This is a condition of the eye where a | | | | people are in front of a computer screen. Look |
| part of the lens becomes cloudy and doesn't let | | | | away at something black in the distance every |
| enough light in, causing loss of eyesight. Often | | | | hour while on the computer for a few moments |
| cataracts stay small and do not affect the | | | | to rest your eyes. Consider getting prescription |
| eyesight very much. However, they can become | | | | computer glasses designed specifically for vision |
| larger and thicker and require surgical removal | | | | problems that occur with computer use, i.e., |
| where your natural clouded lens is replaced by an | | | | "computer vision syndrome". |
| artificial lens. Being out on sunny days without eye | | | | Exercise Your Eyes: Overall aerobic exercise is |
| protection greatly enhances the risk of developing | | | | not just for the rest of you! It can benefit your |
| cataracts. Wear sunglasses or shade your eyes | | | | eyes as well as it improves blood flow to your |
| with a hat visor. | | | | head and eyes. In addition, specific eye exercises |
| Glaucoma: This condition causes a buildup of fluid in | | | | really help to decrease eyestrain and re-energize |
| the eye, the cause of which is mostly unknown. | | | | tired eyes. Here are a few good ones that can be |
| Treated early, glaucoma can be controlled so that | | | | done a few times a day if you like: |
| blindness doesn't result. Glaucoma usually has no | | | | Figure 8's - roll your eyes in the pattern of the |
| symptoms and is found only on an eye exam | | | | number 8 to the count of 10. |
| through a special test that feels like a puff of air | | | | Palming - rub the palms of your hands |
| blown into your eye. | | | | together briskly until they get warm. Then place |
| Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): The | | | | the palms of your hands across your eyes and |
| macula of the eye contains numerous | | | | rest them for a few minutes in the darkness of |
| light-sensitive cells that help you see. Over time, | | | | your hands. |
| the macula can degenerate and cause sharp vision | | | | I often tell my patients that getting older is |
| to decline, making it harder to see clearly, read or | | | | inevitable, but aging eye/vision conditions don't |
| drive. Sometimes, laser treatments are helpful. | | | | have to be. By being proactive and maintaining a |
| Prevent Aging Eyes Naturally | | | | healthy lifestyle full of beneficial eye/body |
| There are several things you can do to greatly | | | | nutrition, hydration, exercise, and protecting your |
| slow down, or even reverse, some aging eye | | | | eyes from damage by smoke, computer screens, |
| conditions. They include: | | | | or sun, you do have some control over slowing |
| Eat A Vision-Friendly Diet: Lots of leafy green and | | | | down/reversing, or preventing, certain age-related |
| yellow vegetables, decrease/avoid saturated fats | | | | eye conditions from occurring. Protecting your |
| like those found in fried foods, red meat, and | | | | eyes now can help you enjoy healthy vision |
| hydrogenated oils (transfats). Decrease amount of | | | | throughout your lifetime! |