How to Protect Your Eyesight as You Get Older
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Our eyesight is incredibly precious, and we need to look after it as best as we can for the whole of our lives. As one of our five main senses, it helps us to navigate the world around us and to enjoy life to its fullest. That is why it’s so important that we look after it and quickly deal with any issues that arise. If you are in need of some guidance on how to better look after your eyesight, then here are some simple ways you can help to protect your eyes over your life.
Looking after your general health
One of the best ways to look after your eyesight is to take care of your general health. It may seem difficult to believe that what you eat can impact your eyesight, but it is a true fact. Too much processed food for example, can lead to high blood sugars and weight gain, which in turn can increase your chances of developing diabetes. Diabetes can then lead to eye problems such as retinopathy. On the other hand, a healthy balanced diet that includes plenty of oily fish and nuts can help to protect your eyes and prevent any health-related diseases affecting your vision.
Another thing you can do to take care of your eyes and increase your chances of having healthy eyesight and good vision is to stop smoking. We all know there are many health concerns when you are a smoker, but many of us think first about the main risk is cancer and seldom consider any other concerns which could arise, such as sight loss. Not only is smoking bad for your general health, but it also has negative effects on your eyes, including macular degeneration and blockages in the arteries and veins around your eye, which can lead to sudden and permanent blindness. Therefore, it’s good to cut down your intake and quit altogether if you are a smoker to prevent this happening.
Surgery on your eyesight
If you have very poor eyesight, then you may be considering surgical options to correct your vision and improve your quality of life. If you’re thinking of undergoing laser eye surgery, be sure to do your research first to ensure you go to someone reputable. Choosing a well-qualified surgeon is key to the safety and success of your procedure and you should make sure that you understand the possible risks and benefits before you go ahead with any surgery.
Whilst most surgeries are undertaken with no issues arising, like with any procedure there is a risk involved which you need to be aware of and understand any complications which may arise, so make sure to have a thorough consultation in advance and ask plenty of questions whilst you are there.
If you’ve had eye surgery that hasn’t gone to plan, you may want to consider raising a medical negligence claim in addition to seeking the opinion of a trusted medical professional to see if corrective measures can be taken.
Wearing sunglasses
When it comes to protecting ourselves from sun exposure during the summer months, most of us are well versed in applying sun cream and staying hydrated, but it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun too.
The sun is a powerful source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and can cause both temporary and permanent damage to your eyes. In the short term, the sun’s rays can burn the surface, cornea and lens of your eye, in a similar way to how the sun causes burns on your skin. Conditions like Ultraviolet Keratitis can cause a range of symptoms from pain, redness and watering eyes to swelling, sensitivity to light, visual disturbances or even temporary blindness. The effects can last anything from 24 hours to a week. Long term, exposing your eyes to the sun increases your chances of developing eye conditions such as cataracts, which are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
That’s why it’s so important to protect your eyes on sunny days by wearing good-quality sunglasses that offer full UV protection. Wraparound sunglasses are ideal, as these offer the most protection. You should also follow general sun safety advice and avoid being out in direct sunlight at midday when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
Photo by Engin Akyurt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/left-human-eye-1458422/
