Making
Good Choices for Your Eye Health & Vision
A
little bit of knowledge can go a long way in helping you make good choices for
preserving your eye health and vision throughout your life. Did you know that some 37 million adults in the United States alone have
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, or
glaucoma-all of which can cause visual impairment or blindness! We know-and want to share the information with you-from
recent studies that tell us that making healthy choices and getting regular eye
exams can help reduce a person’s risk of vision loss.
About Healthy Choices for Preventing Vision Loss &
Eye Problems
Live a healthy lifestyle. Eating a nutritious diet,
maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking can lower your risk of eye disease. Foods that boost eye health include dark green leafy greens, cold water fish
and citrus fruits. A diet rich in vitamin C can cut the risk of cataract
progression by nearly almost 30%. We
know for certain that smoking doubles the risk of the eye disease age-related macular
degeneration, is linked to cataracts, and worsens
dry eye. If you smoke-STOP! If you don’t smoke, DON’T START!
Know your family history. Certain eye diseases can be inherited or may have a strong predisposition among family
members. If you have a close relative with macular degeneration, you have a 50
percent chance of developing the condition. In addition, a family history of
glaucoma increases your chances of developing the condition by four to nine
times. So talk to your family members about what eye conditions they have. It
can help you and your eye doctor evaluate whether you may be at higher risk.
Get a dilated eye exam. Many eye diseases may have no
symptoms in their early stages. A dilated eye exam is
the best way to detect eye diseases so they can be treated as soon as possible
to help prevent vision loss. All adults
should have a baseline comprehensive dilated eye exam by the time they turn 40.
This is when age-related eye changes often begin to occur. People who are 65
and older should get an eye exam every one to two years. Those with chronic
conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure or known eye diseases may
need to go earlier and more often at the recommendation of their eye doctor.
Wear sunglasses. Over time, exposure to UV rays from
the sun can increase your risk of cataracts,
certain cancers and growths in or around the eyes. When choosing sunglasses,
pick ones that block out at least 99 percent of UV rays. A wide-brimmed hat
offers great additional protection as well.
Use protective eyewear to prevent
injuries. Roughly a
third of all emergency room visits for eye-related issues stem from traumatic
eye injuries, according to a recent study in the journal Ophthalmology. To
help prevent these injuries, wear the right protective eyewear when doing
activities that could cause eye injuries, such as home repair, garden work and
sports.
If you or someone you know needs
to schedule an eye exam please call Center
for Sight 508-730-2020, visit Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center for Sight is
conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall
River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from
Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
