Preserving your Vision

Eyes are our sole window to the big beautiful world; which is why they are widely considered to be one of the most precious organs of the human body. Yet the law of nature says that as we grow older, vision gets weaker and few exceptions to that exist.

Presbyopia- diminishing vision in adults over 45 years of age characterized by reading problems is said to be quite imminent. Vision also gets disturbed due to cataract, eye irritations and such other complications. Cataract is caused due to spot formation on the lens of the eye causing glare problems. Older peopleSeniors also face the problem of loosening eyelids caused by the development of wrinkles. Other impediments include dry eyes, rough eye surface, foreign body sensation, watering eyes etc.

We have a family friend in his late 60s who has been living with diabetes for many years now. Negligence on his part led to damage in his retina. The ophthalmologist had informed him that if he didn’t undergo laser treatment, he could suffer permanent loss of vision from detachment of retina or uncontrolled glaucoma. He consequently got laser treatment done which helped him prevent further loss of vision.

Vision care for diabetics can be absolutely traumatizing due to the many impairments associated with it. Cataract is the most common diabetic side-effect, another being loss of eye sensation. Glaucoma leads to increased pressure in the eye which if neglected, can lead to blindness. Retina is affected in diabetes leading to various complexities of blood vessel clotting, hemorrhage etc. It, therefore, becomes essential for Diabetics to have regular eye checkups.

Not only diabetics, every person above the age of 50 must schedule appointments with the ophthalmologist from time to time. Cataract should be removed with surgery or it may lead to blindness. Any eye complications should be duly treated.

A number of old people seniors find that they will have to live with low vision for the rest of their lives. For them, their surroundings can be designed or arranged in a way that enables them to move around with ease. Their living and work spaces should have bright lighting enabling them to carry on with their life as much as possible. In today’s times, lots of visual aids exist for the older adults to read and do daily household work. For instance, magnifying glasses are widely used for reading purposes.

It is oft better to live by the rule- “Prevention is better than cure”. A diet rich in antioxidants found in green leafy vegetables, papayas, carrots, berries aid the eye to remain strong. Antioxidants in the form of tablets also exist. Eye relaxation techniques of blinking, opening-closing the eye are helpful. Remember to take breaks every 20 minutes during long work hours on the computer. Splashing cool water on the eye is refreshing and calming. Sun exposure should be avoided. Sun glasses with good UV protection should be used. Eye moisturizing drops or tear substitutes can be used to counter dry eyes.