Effective Ways To Maintain Eye Health Age 40 Years And Over

Illustration of healthy eyes (Unsplash / Jose Castillo)

JAKARTA - Entering the age of 40 or known as the middle age will require extra attention to health. Especially eye health, where the vision starts to blur when looking at price tags and work report tables.

You don't need to be anxious, because many of these problems are experienced at the age of 40 and beyond. Some of the problems commonly experienced by this age are as follows:

The eyes feel dry

Launching Harvard Health Publishing, dry eyes experienced by 15 million adults in the United States. This occurs due to decreased tear production. To overcome this, those of you who are experiencing similar problems can use eye drops, topical prescription drugs.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a condition where the eye has difficulty focusing on close objects. The lens of the eye also stiffens with age.

Cataract

Someone who has cataracts, foggy eyes that of course interferes with health. Cataracts occur in half of the people aged 65 to 74 years.

Glaucoma

To treat glaucoma eye problems, the doctor will prescribe a special drug that is formulated to reduce pressure in the eye. Glaucoma does not hurt the eye, even without symptoms but can damage the optic nerve, which sends information from the eye to the brain.

If not treated promptly, glaucoma can cause peripheral and central vision loss.

Diabetic retinopathy

This condition is experienced by diabetics which causes damage to the retina. That means, in addition to maintaining eye health, which will be explained below, you also need to maintain your health, including having normal blood sugar levels.

Macular degeneration

A decrease in the function of the macula or the central part of the retina is experienced with age. Retinal cells, which are sensitive to light, capture images and send them to the brain via the optic nerve. So, because there is a decrease in function due to age, vision becomes blurred or distorted to the blind spot.

How to maintain eye health

To maintain the condition of the sense of sight to function optimally according to age, you can do the following methods.

Eat healthy foods

Besides consuming foods containing antioxidants and omega-3 which are good for eye health, you also need to balance with other nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown by several studies to help heal dry eyes.

Get active

Around the eye, there is a large network of thin blood vessels that carry oxygen and are affected by blood circulation. This is related to expert recommendations to stay active so that blood circulation remains smooth and reduces the risk of diabetes.

Illustration of a sports partner (Freepik) option

Get regular sleep

Having the same sleep pattern every day means allowing the body to work in an orderly manner. Also, sleep is the activity of cleaning the eyes from dust, allergens, and irritants.

Protect eyes from exposure to UV rays

Research at Johns Hopkins in 1998 found a higher risk of developing cataracts experienced by people with fair skin and blue eyes. The study also linked sun exposure and an increased risk of cataracts.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays can also increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). So, make sure to wear glasses that can protect your eyes from UV-A and UV-B waves.

Quit smoking

Based on studies, smokers and ex-smokers have four times the risk of developing ARMD than nonsmokers. The researchers said the increased risk of ARMD was higher in smokers due to cell changes, oxidative stress, and constriction of blood vessels.

Besides carrying out several preventive measures above, don't be reluctant to have regular eye checks on the experts. Report and ask for solutions if vision problems occur.