Want to maintain sharp vision as the years go by? Eye problems become more common with age; here are five ways to help keep your eyes healthy and in good working order.

Wear Sunglasses...All Year Round

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing cataracts, a cloudiness of the eye’s lens that is the most common vision-robbing condition, is to wear a brimmed hat and high-quality sunglasses whenever outside—even on cloudy days.

TheAmerican Academy of Ophthalmology recommends wraparound shades that block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. (Some medications, such as statins and antibiotics, can make the eyes more sensitive to light; discuss such issues with your practitioner.)

What’s more, you should always wear protective goggles when engaged in activities that pose an injury risk, such as using a chainsaw or playing racquetball. 

Manage Your Screen Time

Spending a lot of your time staring at screens can lead to eyestrain. As we suggest here, there are ways you can ease digital-related eye discomfort.

First, position your desktop correctly; the monitor should be 20 to 28 inches away from your eyes at 15 to 20 degrees below eye level.

Then don’t forget to blink more often—every time you click your mouse, for example—and follow the American Optometric Association’s 20-20-20 rule: Take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.

Do Eye Yoga

Yoga offers exercises that help work the small muscles of the eye; advocates say these movements not only help older people maintain sharp focus but also reduce tension and sharpen concentration.

One example of an exercise designed to ease eyestrain: Relax your facial and eye muscles. Then, without moving your head, look up at the ceiling before slowly circling your eyes clockwise, focusing on objects in your periphery, three times. Close your eyes and relax, then repeat the same movement counterclockwise.

Live a Vision-Friendly Life

Some foods contain nutrients that promote better eye health.*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

While such foods won’t help you with some common vision problems, such as nearsightedness or astigmatism, they may help you stave off eye disorders that tend to develop as you get older.

In addition to cataracts, these include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which damages the macula, the central part of the retina;glaucoma, damage to the optic nerve generally associated with excessive pressure within the eye; and diabetic retinopathy, a diabetic complication that affects blood vessels beneath the retina.

If you want to support your eyesight, fill your plate with eggs and leafy greens, which contain lutein and zeaxanthin (leafy greens also supply vitamin C); seafood, which supplies astaxanthin; berries, which contain anthocyanosides; nuts, which supply vitamin E; and fatty fish, a rich source of omega-3.*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Living an overall healthy lifestyle is crucial, too.

Exercise has long been known to reduce blood sugar levels, which helps lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy, and to ease stress, anunder-appreciated cause of poor eyesight. And avoid smoking, which increases your risk of eye disease.

Get a Dilated Eye Exam

Some vision problems, such as nearsightedness, make their presence known early in life. But others, such as AMD and cataracts, tend to develop over many years.

That’s why it’s helpful to undergo a dilated eye exam—in which your pupils are widened with eye drops so that the doctor can examine the inside of your eye—from either an optometrist, the primary care providers of the eye world, or an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specializes in eye disorders.

TheNational Eye Institute recommends going for dilated exams every one or two years if you’re over 60 (over 40 if you’re African American) or if you have a family history of glaucoma. If you have other disorders that can affect eye health, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, ask your regular practitioner about scheduling this type of exam.

Of course, you should visit an eye specialist any time you have problems with your eyes, from fuzzy or blurry vision to pain or excessive weepiness.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

The information in this blog is provided for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for consultation with a doctor or qualified healthcare professional. Consultation with a doctor or qualified healthcare practitioner is strongly advised, before starting any regimen of supplementation, a change in diet or any exercise routine. Individuals who engage in supplementation to promote health, address conditions or support any structure or function of the body assume all risks. Women who are pregnant, especially, should seek the advice of a medical doctor before taking any dietary supplement and before starting any change in diet or lifestyle. Descriptions of herbs, vitamins, nutrients or any ingredients are not recommendations to take our products or those of any other company. We are not doctors or primary-source science researchers. Instead, we defer to the findings of scientific experts who conduct studies, as well as those who compile and publish scientific literature on the potential health benefits of nutrients, herbs, spices, vitamins or minerals. We cannot guarantee that any individual will experience any of the health benefits associated with the nutrients described. Natural Organics will not be held liable for any injuries, damages, hindrances, or negative effects resulting from any reliance on the information presented, nor will Natural Organics be held accountable for any inaccuracy, miscalculation or error in the scientific literature upon which the information provided is based.