StemCell Therapy

By Gary Heiting, OD

Protecting your eyesight is one of the most important things you can do to help maintain your quality of life. Some type of sight-threatening eye problem affects one in six adults age 45 and older. And the risk for vision loss only increases with age.

In fact, a recent American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) report estimates that more than 43 million Americans will develop age-related eye diseases by 2020. Since the leading causes of blindness and low vision in the United States are primarily age-related diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, protecting your eyesight as you age is an essential part of your health care.

To protect your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy as you age, consider these simple guidelines:

Studies also have shown that eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration. Also, consider supplementing your diet with eye vitamins to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of the nutrients you need to keep your eyes healthy.

In addition to following these guidelines, be sure to wear safety glasses when working with tools or participating in active sports to help prevent eye injuries that potentially could cause permanent vision loss.

It's true that following these steps is no guarantee of perfect vision throughout your lifetime. But maintaining a healthy lifestyle and having regular eye exams will certainly decrease your risk of developing a sight-stealing eye problem that otherwise might have been prevented.

Back to top

About the Author: Gary Heiting, OD, is senior editor of AllAboutVision.com. Dr. Heiting has more than 25 years of experience as an eye care provider, health educator and consultant to the eyewear industry. His special interests include contact lenses, nutrition and preventive vision care. Connect with Dr. Heiting via Google+.

[Page updated February 2016]

Read more:
Eight Ways to Protect Your Eyesight - AllAboutVision.com

This entry was posted on August 4, 2016 at 9:40 am and is filed under Eye Sight & Vision. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |