Schedule Regular Eye Exams

As a senior, you typically need an eye exam every 1 to 2 years, even if you don't have vision issues. Your provider will perform several tests for common age-related eye conditions to diagnose them early, even before you notice a problem. This gives you the best chance of treating the disease and reducing how much it impacts your vision.

Regular eye exams allow your ophthalmologist to track changes in your eyes and diagnose age-related diseases early while they're easily treatable. However, you may need to have more frequent eye exams, depending on your eye health and risk factors. Work with your ophthalmologist to determine an appropriate schedule for you.

Protect Your Eyes

Exposure to certain elements can affect your eye health. One of the easiest ways to protect your eyes on a daily basis is by wearing sunglasses when you're outdoors. Protecting your eyes from UV rays can prevent damage and decrease your risk of some cancers.

Smoking is another environmental factor that can damage your eyes. If you smoke, quitting can help improve your eye health as well as the health of other organs.

If you do woodworking or other projects where particles could fly into your eyes, wear eye protection, such as protective goggles. Reducing injuries to your eyes keeps them in better shape and prevents long-term issues.

Eat a Balanced Diet

What goes into your body can impact your vision. Eating a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods could help support your vision. Certain nutrients and foods can be particularly beneficial, including:

• Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables like oranges, strawberries, kiwis and red bell peppers
• Lutein, found in leafy greens and sweet potatoes
• Antioxidants
• Beta-carotene
• Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish like salmon and tuna
• Vitamin E from nuts and seeds

Incorporating foods that contain those ingredients naturally can help, but you can also take supplements with those nutrients. At The Gardens at Barry Road in Kansas City, MO, our restaurant-style dining service offers a range of healthy food choices that make it easier to consume the nutrients you need.

Keep Your Body Moving

Exercise is another healthy lifestyle choice that supports your vision and many other functions throughout your body, including your cardiovascular health. When you move your body regularly, you increase blood flow to all parts of your body, including your eyes. The oxygen that comes with the improved blood flow could help support your vision.

Manage Medical Conditions

Certain health conditions can affect your vision health. Diabetes and high blood pressure are two common examples. Managing those conditions well reduces symptoms of the conditions and your chances of the associated vision problems.

Individuals with diabetes are at risk for diabetic retinopathy, which affects the blood vessels in your retinas and could cause vision loss. By keeping your blood sugar levels under control, you can prevent this eye disease or slow its progression.

High blood pressure can also damage blood vessels in your eyes, which could cause blurred vision or vision loss. It could also contribute to developing glaucoma. Working to lower your blood pressure could protect your vision.

Reduce Eyestrain

Several activities can cause strain on your eyes, which can temporarily affect your vision. You might have double vision, or things might look blurry. Common causes of eyestrain include looking at a computer or other screen for an extended time and reading in low-light conditions. Whether you watch TV or work on a computer frequently, give your eyes a break from the screen every 20 minutes or so. Using supplemental lighting indoors helps your eyes focus on all types of activities with less strain.

Wear Corrective Lenses

Consistently wearing your prescribed corrective lenses is another way to reduce strain and protect your eye health. Your prescription contacts or glasses correct your vision, which reduces how hard your eyes have to work to help you see. Correcting your vision also allows you to see well, which reduces your risk of falling or tripping, potentially preventing additional health issues and injuries.

Seek Medical Care Immediately for Eye Concerns

Many age-related eye conditions don't show symptoms initially, which is why regular checkups are important even if you don't have issues. However, if you notice a change in your vision, schedule an exam immediately. While many vision problems can't be cured, they can be treated to slow the progression or minimize the impact of the disease. Seeking an evaluation quickly allows your ophthalmologist to develop a treatment plan and preserve as much of your vision as possible.

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