It’s Healthy Aging Month, and we’re celebrating with these three tips for healthy eyes.
- Eye Exams Are Always Important: A busy lifestyle and full slate of personal and professional obligations often lead to complacency, but if you’re skipping out on routine eye exams, you’re doing your vision a disservice. Your eye care professional can spot early signs of trouble long before you can, and that early detection could mean the difference between having multiple treatment options or suffering vision loss.
- Look Out for These Age-Related Vision Problems: In the exams mentioned above, your doctor will pay special attention to any signs of:
- Glaucoma — In the United States, this optic nerve disease has the dubious distinction of being the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
- Cataracts — These cloudy spots on the eye’s lens look like a steamed-up bathroom mirror. Cataract treatment often includes intraocular lens implants.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration — This disease affects the center part of your field of vision, causing retinal deterioration and blurry vision.
- You Can Help Keep Your Vision Intact: In addition to scheduling regular checkups with your favorite eye care provider, you can take other steps to protect your vision:
- Ditch the Cigarettes: Smoking is not only bad for your lungs, heart and skin, but it damages the rest of your body, too – including your eyes. Watch out for secondhand smoke as well.
- Beware of the Sun: You know not to head to the beach without your sunscreen, but sunglasses rated for 99–100 percent UV-A/UB-B protection are just as crucial.
- Use Appropriate Eyewear: Newly enrolled in a senior’s racquetball league or enjoying more time in your wood shop thanks to retirement? Grab a pair of safety frames or sports eyewear and keep accidents from derailing your fun.
- Reevaluate Your Diet: Dark, leafy greens, oily fish like salmon and tuna, non-animal protein sources like eggs and nuts, and citrus fruits — all pack essential eye-friendly nutrients, ranging from omega-3 fatty acids to zinc.
Be proactive! Treat your eyes to an evaluation at Illinois Eye Center. Call (309) 243-2400 today to schedule your appointment with one of our skilled providers.
