Protect and preserve eyesight from 3 common vision problems
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Protect and preserve eyesight from 3 common vision problems
Every morning when we wake up, the first thing we do is open our eyes to the world around us. What a gift it is to see the beauty surrounding us and the faces of our loved ones. Good eyesight is often taken for granted, until something threatens it. Anyone who has ever had limited or loss of eyesight will tell you what they miss and how important it is to have the sense of sight.
Just like you need to take care of your teeth throughout your life, you need to do the same with your eyes. Paying little attention to your eyes special needs can result in certain vision problems that can have a major effect on the quality of your sight overtime. By taking steps now, you can avoid some of the most common eyesight conditions many others develop and suffer from as they age.
1. Cataracts
Cataracts are a clouding of the normal clear lens of the eye. The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. When we look at something, light rays travel into our eyes through the pupil and are focused through the lens onto the retina, a layer of light sensitive cells at the back of the eye. In order to focus light properly onto the retina, the lens must be clear. If the lens becomes cloudy, this is called a cataract.
Cataracts can threaten vision in anyone, particularly over the age of 40. It is the main cause of blindness around the world and occurs in greater numbers than glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined. In the United States more than 22 million Americans are affected by cataracts with the number expected to rise to 30 million by 2020. By the age of 80, more than half of all Americans have cataracts.
Tips for preventing cataracts
· Consume food sources of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin – spinach, kale, Swiss chard and other leafy green vegetables.
· Think vitamin C - Rich sources of vitamin C may also protect eyes from cataracts. These include all berries, oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit.
· Wear protective sunglasses – Years of chronic sunlight exposure could increase your risk of cataracts. Wearing a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses that block 100 percent of the sun’s UV rays, particularly ultraviolet B (UVB), can help reduce this risk.
2. Macular degeneration
Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans. This condition is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina’s central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in detail.
Tips for preventing macular degeneration
· Avoid smoking – this can double your risk for macular degeneration
· Get in regular physical exercise
· Control your blood pressure and cholesterol
· Eat plenty of leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli, Swiss chard) and fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, and herring
3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition resulting in progressive damage to the optic nerve due to high pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure). The optic nerve carries images from the retina, which is the specialized light sensing tissue, to the brain so we can see. In someone with glaucoma, eye pressure plays a role in damaging the delicate nerve fibers of the optic nerve. Once a significant number of nerve fibers have been damaged, blind spots develop limiting a person’s vision.
In time, glaucoma can lead to loss of peripheral or side vision and eventually total loss of vision or blindness. In fact in the United States, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness. It is considered the second leading cause of blindness worldwide affecting up to 2% of the population.
Tips for preventing glaucoma
· Wear sunglasses when outdoors that are 100% ultraviolet (UV) blocking sunglasses Sunglasses may not protect the optic nerve from damage but glaucoma can cause your eyes to become sensitive to light and glare. By wearing sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat, both can help reduce the amount of light entering into your eyes.
· Have a yearly eye exam. Glaucoma progresses very slowly so most people do not notice any problems until they have peripheral vision loss. Many people will compensate and cope with the changes until they realize how bad their vison has gotten. When this happens, the optic nerve has already had extensive damage done to it and unfortunately there is no treatment to regain the sight you have lost.
· Avoid excessive electronic device use as it can cause eye strain and discomfort for those with glaucoma. Every 20 minutes when using a computer, look up at something about 20 feet away for about 20 seconds to reduce eye strain leading to blurry vision and headaches.