60s+ Eye Health

Nutrition is a Key Component of Eye Health?

As part of an eye-healthy diet, choose foods rich in antioxidants, like vitamins A and C, such as leafy, green vegetables and fish. Many foods – especially fish – contain essential omega-3 fatty acids that are important to the health of the macula, the part of the eye responsible for central vision.

An inadequate intake of antioxidants, as well as over consumption of alcohol and saturated fats may create free-radical reactions that can harm the macula. High-fat diets can also cause deposits that constrict blood flow in the arteries. The eyes are especially sensitive to this, given the small size of the blood vessels that feed them.

What If Diet Just Isn’t Enough?

Studies indicate that proper nutrition is important to maintaining eye health. As we age, our eyes may not get enough nutrition through diet alone.

Does Smoking Affect The Eyes Too?

Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of oxidative stress. While the connection has not been clearly identified, it’s a fact that smoking increases your risk of developing a variety of conditions that affect eye health.

Exercise

Exercise is important because it improves blood circulation, which, in turn, improves oxygen levels to the eyes and the removal of toxins.

Wear Sunglasses

Being outdoors on a sunny day feels wonderful – but it can be tough on your eyes. The solution? Wear sunglasses that block harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Also, a hat with a brim will reduce the amount of UV radiation slipping around the side of your sunglasses.

At the Computer

After two hours of staring at a computer screen, you can end up with the same kind of repetitive stress in your eye muscles that a keyboard senior-computercauses in your wrists. Here are a few tips to help reduce the impact of computer eyestrain:

• Keep your computer screen within 40 -50cm of your eyes
• Keep the top of your computer screen slightly below eye level
• Minimise the distance between your computer screen and any documents you need to reference while working
• Adjust lighting to minimise glare on the screen
• Blink frequently
• Take a break every 15 minutes to focus on a distant object

Eye Injuries

If your eye is injured, you should always get immediate, professional medical attention. It’s simply the best way to safeguard your vision. Here are some symptoms that may signal a serious eye injury:

• Obvious eye pain or vision problems
• Cut or torn eyelid
• One eye that does not move as completely as the other
• One eye that protrudes more than the other
• Abnormal pupil size or shape
• Blood in the white of the eye
• Something embedded in the eye
• Something under the eyelid that cannot be easily removed