Are you over 40 and feeling like your vision isn’t quite what it used to be? You’re probably right, and you’re definitely not alone. Problems with eyesight commonly occur after the age of 40, but there are some steps you can take to protect your vision and maintain your eyesight well into old age.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, almost everyone begins to experience vision changes starting in their late 30s to mid 40s. The most common change is presbyopia, which causes problems reading and seeing things up close, and the main reason so many of us wish for longer arms, before finally giving in and buying “readers”. The word presbyopia means “old eye” in Greek, and it’s a perfectly normal part of aging. It occurs because the lens of the eye gradually becomes less flexible with age.
While presbyopia is very common with aging, there are other vision problems that are not as common. They can cause serious problems if left unattended, so everyone over the age of 40 should be screened regularly. It’s estimated that by the age of 65, up to one third of adults have vision impairment due to eye disease. The most common problems include:
- Glaucoma – damage to the optic nerve
- Cataract – clouding of the lens of the eye
- Age-related macular degeneration – a loss of sharp, central vision caused by damage to the macula
- Diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) – damage to the blood vessels in the retina caused by diabetes
- Dry eyes – not enough, or poor quality tears
- Low vision – poor vision, even with glasses, contacts, medication or after surgery
Regular eye exams will help to identify these vision problems before they advance. In addition, there are several simple lifestyle changes you can adopt to reduce your risk of these diseases, and help maintain your eyesight for as long as possible.
Eat plenty of foods that support eye health. The same advice about a healthy diet to maintain the health of your body applies to your eyes. Make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet that includes lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and lean proteins. Research studies have highlighted two food groups in particular – fish and leafy greens, that have important benefits for eye health. Fish, especially those which are higher in fat, and have pink-red flesh, like salmon, red trout, and red seabream are sources of both omega-3 fats, and the antioxidant astaxanthin. Leafy greens are high in other antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients all support eye health and can reduce the risk of developing many of the above-mentioned eye diseases
Add supplements if you are at higher risk. If you have a family history of eye disease, or you are in a high-risk group for vision problems, or, if you aren’t consistently eating several servings of fish and leafy greens each week, consider taking supplements that support healthy vision. Lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fish oil are four supplements that have been shown to help reduce the risk of many eye diseases. In addition, studies on astaxanthin suggest that it might help to slow down the progression of presbyopia, and delay the need for those reading glasses.
Maintain a healthy blood pressure and blood sugar. Although both may seem to unrelated to eye health, poorly controlled blood pressure can cause damage to your retina or optic nerve, as well as excess fluid under the retina, which can lead to scarring. Poorly controlled blood sugar due to diabetes, is a leading cause of retinopathy, or damage to the retina. People with diabetes are 40% more likely to develop glaucoma, and 60% more likely to develop cataracts.
Don’t smoke. Smoking raises your blood pressure and increases your risk of developing diabetes. In addition, the more you smoke, the greater your risk 0 developing cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy, and dry eyes. Smokers are also twice as likely to develop uveitis, an inflammation of the middle part of the eye, which can lead to permanent blindness. If you live with a smoker, be aware that exposure to second-hand smoke will also increase your risk of these diseases.
Limit screen time. Working on a computer, checking your cell phone, and even reading books and magazines on e-reading devices has become a daily ritual for most people today, but those activities can also cause eye problems over time. According to the doctors, digital eye strain is a growing problem, and although it rarely causes serious eye diseases, it can cause dry eyes, blurry vision, eye fatigue, and even back, shoulder, and neck pain. Experts recommend sitting about an arms-length away from your computer, adjusting the light on your computer screen, or in the room so that the screen isn’t much brighter than the surrounding light, and using an anti-glare filter if necessary.
In addition to these adjustments you can make to your computer and working conditions, it’s recommended that you take frequent eye breaks when working on a computer. Staring at any kind of a screen for long periods of time causes you to blink less frequently, which leads to dry, irritated eyes. Make sure you take frequent eye-breaks and shift your gaze away from the computer every few minutes.
In addition to these adjustments you can make to your computer and working conditions, it’s recommended that you take frequent eye breaks when working on a computer. Staring at any kind of a screen for long periods of time causes you to blink less frequently, which leads to dry, irritated eyes. Make sure you take frequent eye-breaks and shift your gaze away from the computer every few minutes.
Some studies have also found that taking the supplement astaxanthin each day can help to minimize eye strain and alleviate back, shoulder, and neck pain related to computer screen use. Taking an omega-3 supplement has also been shown to improve dry eyes and symptoms related to eye strain.
Wear sunglasses. The same UV rays that cause damage to your skin can cause serious damage to your eyes. People who spend much time in the sun, and even in the snow, are at increased risk of developing eye diseases, cancer (ocular melanoma), as well as growths called pinguecula and pterygium on their eyes. Wearing sunglasses that offer UV protection, as well as wearing a wide-brimmed hat when spending time outdoors, can minimize the risk of eye damage.
Get adequate sleep. When you’re asleep, your eyes have a chance to recharge and refresh, because they’re rested and lubricated. Lack of sleep causes more than dark circles under your eyes, it can result in more eye strain, dry eyes, sensitivity to light, itchy, red eyes, and even uncomfortable eye spasms. Research suggests at least 5 hours of sleep each night is needed for your eyes to recharge and work their best.
References:
Age-related eye diseases. National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute website. https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/aging_eye. Accessed October 19, 2017.
Bhargava R, Kumar P, Kumar M, Mehra N, Mishra A. A randomized controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids in dry eye syndrome. International Journal of Ophthalmology. 2013;6(6):811-816. doi:10.3980/j.issn.2222-3959.2013.06.13.
Eye health. American Academy of Ophthalmology website. https://www.aao.org/eye-health. Accessed October 20, 2017.
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