Changes to our eyesight are one of the great inevitabilities in life, especially as we get older. Eye muscles start to weaken from the age of 45 and almost all of us will need to wear glasses by the time we’re 65.

Having regular eye tests, wearing the right lenses and looking after our eyes gives us the best chance of maintaining clearer sight for longer.

As well as checking to see whether your prescription is up to date, regular eye tests provide a vital check on the overall health of your eyes. Eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts, as well as general health problems, including diabetes and high blood pressure, can be detected during routine eye exams. Everyone should have a sight test every two years, or more often if your optometrist recommends it.

As well as having regular eye tests and wearing the correct prescription, there are several things you can do to benefit your eye health.

Eat well Eating a variety of foods (especially those rich in vitamins A and B2, zinc and omega-3 DHA) will not only benefit your overall health but may also help protect against some eye conditions.

Wear sunglasses
Strong sunlight can damage your eyes and may increase your risk of cataracts. When choosing sunglasses, you should always make sure that they carry the CE or British Standard marks.

Quit smoking
Smoking significantly increases the risk of developing eye diseases, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. However long you have smoked it’s never too late to benefit from quitting.

Use good lighting
By the age of 60, your eyes need three times as much light as they did when you were 20 in order to see well. Good lighting at home is important, particularly if you have poor vision.

There are three types of lighting:
• Natural daylight
• General lighting
• Task lighting

Make the most of natural daylight by opening curtains wide and keeping the windows clean. If you have blinds, consider vertical blinds over horizontal blinds as they allow you to more easily control the light levels and direction of light coming into the room.

General lighting needs to be bright and even. Try to make the lighting similar in all rooms so that you don’t have to adjust to new light levels as you move around your home, and stay safe by keeping hallways and staircases well-lit.

Extra lighting is needed for activities like reading, hobbies or other close work. Effective task lighting can make it easier to discern colour and detail, and make reading easier by improving the contrast of text on the page. Make sure to position your lamp below eye level so that it shines directly onto the task and not into your eyes.

Sleep well While you sleep, your eyes remain lubricated behind your closed eyelids and work to clear out any irritants that make have built up throughout the day. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have.

Sources:

1. AOP.
2. Boots.
3. NHS.
4. Macular Society.