“Healthy vision means an enhanced quality of life, more vibrant experiences, and a greater awareness of the beauty that is all around us”
-Dr. Alan Glazier, O.D.
Every July, the National Eye Institute leads the nation’s observance of Healthy Vision Month. The 2023 theme is A Family Focus, which offers an opportunity to inspire families to team up and protect their vision together!
According to the CDC, American adults aged 40 and older are at the greatest risk for eye diseases. Additionally, the prevalence of blindness and vision impairment increases rapidly with age among all racial and ethnic groups, especially after age 75.
There are numerous actions that can be taken to slow vision loss and prevent eye diseases. As we observe Healthy Vision Month, McGregor hopes to encourage families and caregivers to come together to protect the vision of older adults by providing a series of steps that can be taken to prevent vision loss as you or your loved ones age.
Eye Health is My Health
Many of the things you do to keep your body healthy can help keep your eyes healthy too. As the following tips make clear, protecting your vision starts with caring for your overall health and well-being.
Get a Dilated Eye Exam
Regularly seeing your eye doctor for dilated eye exams is the best way to catch eye-related problems early, when they’re easier to treat. Even if you are not experiencing vision problems, routine dilated eye exams can help save your sight later.
Eat Right to Protect Your Sight
Eating a diet rich in fruits in vegetables – especially carrots and dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale – is particularly important for maintaining healthy vision. Additionally, research has shown that eating fish like salmon, tuna, and halibut can also have eye health benefits.
Add More Movement to Your Day
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes or other health conditions that can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease and glaucoma. Physical activity and exercising can help you to feel your best while reducing the risk of these conditions.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness. In other words, smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body.
Protect Yourself on Sunny Days
It’s summer! Enjoying time outside is great for your overall health – just make sure to wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim to protect your eyes from being exposed to dangerous UV light from the sun.
Wear Protective Eyewear
When playing sports, doing yardwork, or working around the home, it is important to wear protective eyewear, such as safety glasses or goggles. Blue light filtering lenses can also protect your eyes by reducing strain when looking at screens for long periods of time.
Give Your Eyes a Rest
If you spend a lot of time on your phone, on the computer, or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Looking away and giving your eyes a rest for just 20 seconds out of every 20 minutes can go a long way in reducing eyestrain.
Get Your Family Talking…About Eye Health History
Some eye diseases can run in families. One of the best ways to team up with your family to protect everyone’s vision is to make time to talk about potential eye health risks and share what you learn with your eye doctor.
As we have seen, you can do many things to keep your eyes healthy and ensure that you are seeing your best. Following these simple guidelines can be tremendously helpful for maintaining healthy vision well into your golden years.
For more information on caring for the health of older adults, check out McGregor’s Helpful Resources page.