Eyes and Overall Health
Taking care of your eyes should be a priority just like healthy eating and physical activity; it can also benefit your overall health. Older adults tend to have more vision problems as a whole, but people with vision problems are more likely than those with good vision to have diabetes, poor hearing, heart problems, high blood pressure, lower back pain and strokes. They are also at increased risk for falls, injury and depression. Statistically, among those who are 65 and older, 54.2 percent of those who are blind and 41.7 percent of those with impaired vision report that their overall health is fair or poor, as opposed to 21.5% of those without visual deficits. Some of the more common eye conditions that can result in vision loss, and lead to blindness, are cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.
Healthy vision can help keep you safe each day. To keep your eyes healthy, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam: an eye care professional will use drops to widen the pupils to check for common vision problems and eye diseases. It’s the best way to find out if you need glasses or contacts, or are in the early stages of any eye-related diseases. If you haven’t had an exam for some time, schedule one this month.
In addition to your comprehensive dilated eye exams, visit an eye care professional if you have:
Decreased vision;
Eye pain;
Drainage or redness of the eye;
Double vision';
Diabetes;
Floaters (tiny specks that appear to float before your eyes);
Circles (halos) around light sources; or
If you see flashes of light.
For this Healthy Vision Month, take care of your eyes to make them last a lifetime!
Ways you can help protect your vision:
Get regular comprehensive dilated eye exams.
Know your family’s eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since some are hereditary.
Eat right to protect your sight: In particular, eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, and halibut.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, such as painting, yard work, and home repairs.
Quit smoking or never start.
Wear sunglasses that block 99 percent-100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.
Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.
If you are still working, practice workplace eye safety.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention