Aging is a process that each and every one of us experiences throughout our lifetimes. The process of aging has been enhanced by advances in medicine and new health practices. People are living longer than ever before. According to Administration for Community Living, by 2060, there will be about 98 million older persons in the United States, more than twice their number in 2014. While medicine plays a key role in longer life spans, key organs in the body will eventually start to decline. One key organ that we’re wary of is the eyes. It’s important to understand how your eyes change with age and what you can do to keep them in the best health possible. As a result, we provide extensive services that will maintain health in the eyes from infancy into adulthood. Today, HEI will provide you with a guide in taking the right steps in healthy aging.
Regular Eye Examinations
As you continue to grow older, it is very important to have regular eye examinations. There are various changes that could signal something more serious than age-related changes, such as an eye disease that needs medical treatment. Even if you are not currently experiencing eye symptoms, regular checkups ensure that you are taking preventive measure against potential eye diseases. Many eye diseases do not have warning symptoms but could be minimized or slowed with proper eye treatment. For example, although eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment are often painless and the onset is gradual, they can greatly impair vision if not promptly treated. Learn more about these diseases here.
Become Eye-Friendly
The best way you can take care of your eyes is by creating an eye-friendly environment. Studies show that certain lifestyle habits and dietary choices may help protect the lens of the eye and reduce the risk of certain lens conditions that diminish sight and inhibit ocular aging.
According to the American Journal of Nutrition, Diets rich in vitamin C and foods containing plant pigments or carotenoids, may help protect the lens of the eye and reduce the risk of cataracts. A lack of these nutrients appears to speed cross-linking, a process in which proteins in the lens form unwanted links or bonds, making the lens thicker, more rigid, scattering even more light than it would otherwise.
Aim for four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables per day to help ensure you get the nutrients you need to maximize your eye health. In addition to certain nutritional deficits, other lifestyle choices may speed up cross-linking and put lens health at risk. These include smoking and excessive exposure to UV rays from the sun.
Ready to make the steps to healthy aging? Find out by getting a checkup at our office. Often times, our eye care services are covered under your insurance. To learn more, contact Dr. Shareen Greenbaum at 954-447-0606 or click here.
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Sources: American Optometric Association, Administration for Community Living