Eye Health Tips for Older People

Some decrease in clarity in vision may be experienced with an increase in age. You might be wearing glasses prescribed to you to perform daily activities in your life and assume that there is no underlying cause for the troubled vision. If you are over 60, it is important to keep a regular check on the vision and visit your Ophthalmologist at least once a year so that corrective actions can be taken at the right time.

Presbyopia is one of the most common eye conditions that are prevalent with people around the age of 40 to 50.  Hence, as you grow older, you should take proactive steps to keep your vision in good shape. Maintainance of ocular hygiene should be complemented with a healthy diet and adequate rest.

So, what are the ways through which senior citizens can keep eye problems at bay? How can you take good care of your eyes as you grow old? Let us look at some of the essential eye health tips for older people.

Healthy Diet for Good Eyesight

Apart from regular eye-checkups and wearing the correct glasses, there are many things that you can do to boost the health of your eyes. Consuming healthy food for eyesight improvement has a positive effect on your overall health as well as your eyes.

• A diet that is high in sugar and saturated fat increases the risk of eye diseases. Instead, you should eat food that comprises fruits and green & leafy vegetables. Such a diet is rich in vital antioxidants like Vitamins A and C that help in reducing the damage done to the eyes by oxidizing agents.
• If you are a fish eater, you can opt for fish highly rich in omega-3 fatty acids – a catalyst that keeps the Macula in good health. Spinach, Kale, peas, and sweet corn are excellent sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, the plant pigments that protect the retina from harmful UV (Ultra Violet) light. 
• Packaged food especially ones with high sodium content can impart significant damage. Nutritional information at the back should be checked thoroughly prior to buying.
• Avoid excessive smoking and drinking as they may expose the eyes to a high level of oxidative stress and cause significant damage to the macula and optic nerve.
• Lastly, stay hydrated by consuming adequate water.

Exercises to Relieve Stress

Easy-to-perform eye exercises go a long way in relieving the stress on the eye muscles. The best part is that these exercises can be performed anytime, anywhere at your own convenience.

Focus Change challenges the focus when you are in a seated position. Focus on the pointer finger once it is a few inches away from the eye.

Move the finger away from the face and continue focusing on the finger. Look away and focus on something that is at a distance. Again focus on the outstretched finger. Repeat the same exercise three times.

Figure Eight is an eye exercise that must be performed from a seated position. Focus on a point on the floor that is 10 feet away from your place. Now trace an imaginary figure eight with your eyes. Continue tracing for 30 seconds, post which you should switch directions.

Near & Far Focus is a common focus exercise that should be done from a seated position. Hold your thumb close to 10 inches away from your face and focus on it for close to 15 seconds. Now, focus on an object which is roughly 10~15 feet away for 15 seconds. Return the focus to the thumb and repeat the same exercise 5 times.

Conclusion

The natural eye care tips that we covered in this blog is aimed at improving the health of your eyes. Regular eye examinations, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, performing exercises to relieve the stress of eye muscles, and wearing glasses with correct refractive error corrections are some of the vital eye health tips for older people.

When visiting an eye doctor, you should always opt for an eye hospital that has skilled and experienced doctors as they can help in improving the vision. Centre for Sight is a technologically advanced eye hospital that has highly skilled doctors who can guide you in choosing the best-suited eye exercises to keep your eyes healthy.

Article: Eye Health Tips for Older People

Author: CFS Editorial Team   |  Feb 13 2021 | UPDATED04:39 IST
*The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his privatecapacity and do not in any way represent the views of Centre for Sight.