As you age, you become more susceptible to vision conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts. However, by making a few lifestyle changes, you can lower your risk for these conditions. This Healthy Aging Month, Lumen Optometric, your trusted eye exam doctor, shares tips on taking care of your aging eyes.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Make sure to include in your diet foods rich in eye-friendly nutrients, such as Vitamin A (which helps protect the cornea, the surface of your eye) and Vitamin E (which prevent free radicals from damaging proteins in your eyes).
Should You Take Supplements?
Supplements can help prevent vitamin deficiencies, but they’re not a substitute for a balanced diet. If you’re considering taking supplements, consult your eye doctor.
Undergo Routine Eye Exams
How often should you have your eyes checked? As a general rule, those aged 40 and above should see their eye doctor at least once a year. What many patients don’t realize is that they don’t usually notice that their vision has deteriorated unless the change is abrupt or significant. That’s because your brain automatically adapts to any changes in your vision, sometimes tricking you into thinking there’s nothing wrong with your vision even though it has already deteriorated. Through routine eye exams, your eye doctor can detect changes in your vision before they significantly affect your lifestyle and prescribe treatment. For instance, they might give you a higher prescription for your contact lenses.
Wear Sunglasses
Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays can damage your vision and increase your risk for conditions such as cataracts or macular degeneration. To protect your eyes from UV damage, always wear sunglasses while you’re outside. In particular, we recommend wearing sunglasses with a shade of UV 400, which provide nearly 100% protection from UV rays.
Lumen Optometric offers a wide range of professional eye care services, including eye examination and corneal reshaping services. To schedule an appointment, call us at (626) 921-0199 or fill out this form.