How to Keep Eyes Healthy As You Age

Aging is more than getting wrinkles on your face and gray hair. It also affects your legs and arms. They become creaky and will not have as much strength as before. Your vision is not an exception. Age will cause changes in your ability to see. 

Many of the changes will be common, and you can manage them with simple lifestyle changes. However, others may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. You will need to talk to your eye doctor at Battle Born Eye Care when you notice any troublesome changes. In the meantime, here are some tips to help you keep your eyes healthy as you age.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Whether outside in the sun or working in your garage, protect your eyes. When you are out in the sun, you are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light causes changes in the metabolism of the cells in your lens and retina. It increases your chances of getting macular degeneration and other age-related eye diseases. 

Wearing sunglasses slows down the rate at which these changes occur. Make sure that the sunglasses protect against UVA and UVB wavelengths. Find ones that wrap around your face to the sides of your eyes, this will protect you from around 20 percent of the sun’s rays that can still penetrate through the sides of typical sunglasses.

Stop Smoking

Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop age-related eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in America. Studies show that the risk of getting eye diseases remains high even up to 20 years after stopping. 

The estimate is that one in five cases of age-related macular degeneration is due to smoking. It can be because of several reasons. These include:
 

• Oxidative stress
   

• Cellular changes
   

• Vascular constriction
  
  
   

Maintain a Healthy Weight

It is crucial to keep a healthy weight. Being overweight can cause problems with your blood pressure, heart, and blood sugar control. It also affects your vision. Studies show that obese people are likely to develop problems with their vision, like cataracts. 

Obesity can also increase fluid buildup inside the eye due to high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. The fluid buildup puts you at risk of getting glaucoma. Thus, you need to maintain a healthy weight.

Exercise and Regular Activity 

People who exercise and do not overindulge in drinking experience less vision loss than those who do not exercise and do not drink. Moderate drinking will not affect your vision if you incorporate it with exercise. However, make sure that you check with your doctor and confirm if alcohol is appropriate for you.

Regular Eye Exams

Regular annual eye exams at Battle Born Eye Care will help you catch any eye problems. They will also allow you to get the necessary treatment early enough to slow down vision loss. Ensuring you are in good overall health is also good. It will help you feel better physically and mentally. You will be able to navigate the changes to vision that come with age.

For more information on keeping your eyes healthy as you age, visit Battle Born Eye Care at our office in Reno, Nevada. You can call (775) 360-6446 today to schedule an appointment.