Aging brings bodily changes, many of which are completely normal. Your eyes are not excluded from this, which is why you may experience visual changes as you age. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to have stable visual health in your golden years. Read on as your reliable eye doctor shares some of them:
Keep Your Appointments With Your Eye Doctor
Some age-related eye conditions are asymptomatic in their early stages, which is why it’s so important to have your eyes regularly examined by a professional. The American Optometric Association generally recommends individuals aged 18 to 60 years old to undergo one comprehensive eye exam every two years, while people over the age of 60 should visit their eye doctor annually. Always defer to your eye doctor’s advice, however, when it comes to how often you should have an eye exam.
Be Aware of Your Risk Factors
Many eye diseases have their onset in adulthood, making increasing age a major risk factor for their development. Heredity is another element you should look into. If any of your family members have had a certain vision problem, you may be at a higher risk of developing it too. Your trusted optometrist explains that smoking and being overweight may also increase your risk of developing various ocular conditions.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
There are various eye-friendly foods that help maintain your eyes’ structural and functional integrity. Dark leafy greens, for example, have potent antioxidant properties that help fight off free radicals in your eyes. We also encourage regular exercise, which promotes healthy blood flow to your eyes.
Protect Your Eyes
Overexposure to solar radiation may increase your risk of having eye wrinkles, cataracts, and retinal changes. This is why we recommend wearing sunglasses with 100% UV Protection whenever you go outdoors. If you wear eyeglasses, we may also apply UV-filtering layers for enhanced visual protection.
For more tips to achieve healthy aging eyes, call us at (269) 241-0033 for Buchanan, (269) 241-0032 for Three Rivers, or (269) 241-0031 for Edwardsburg. We serve Buchanan, MI.