Do you know that one in every three older adults suffers from some form of vision loss? As we get older, our overall health tends to decline, and this goes for our eyes as well. Vision impairment can cause much disruption in your loved ones’ everyday lives, as the eyes enable us to see the world and are crucial for us to get around. Therefore, vision impairment can prevent your loved ones from being independent, which can lead to poor mental and physical health in the long run. To find out some tips and tricks on preventing vision loss, continue reading.
Schedule Checkups with Optometrists
You know what they say: leave it to the professionals. When it comes to any eye and vision-related issues, an optometrist is the person to go to. According to medical personnel, our eyes should be checked on an annual basis, so it’s recommended for your loved ones to book appointments with their optometrists once or twice every year. A session with an optometrist usually does not take much time, as they simply do an external eye examination. Of course, this only occurs when they do not find any complications and the eyes are in good health. Optometrists have the experience and expertise to determine whether your loved ones require any prescription lenses or not.
If possible, we recommend visiting optometrists who are able to perform retinal imaging. Retinal imaging is the process of capturing photos of the inside of the eyelids and back of the eye. This is to discover any damaged blood vessels that can negatively affect vision. If your loved ones are found to have swelled blood vessels, this can indicate diabetes or other severe vision problems like cataracts. Since early intervention is the best treatment, it’s best for loved ones to seek medical inspection regularly.
Rest the Eyes
From watching television to performing daily tasks like reading and driving, there’s no doubt our eyes are overworked. However, as we need our eyes to get about daily, this is inevitable. Fortunately, there are some ways to give our eyes a break every once in a while. Examples are looking at greenery, placing warm or cold compresses on the eyes, or being in a low-light environment. If your loved ones do not take time to rest their eyes, their eye muscles will be strained, which can lead to headaches, nausea, and irritated eyes that are itchy and swollen.
Blood Sugar Management
Loved ones who are diabetic have a higher likelihood of developing poor vision. This is due to a condition called cataracts, which are a result of the formation of cloudiness on the eye’s lens. If left untreated, cataracts can cause blindness. Loved ones diagnosed with diabetes should be vigilant on their blood sugar management as an increase in blood sugar levels can bring about diabetic retinopathy, a condition that opens doors to vision impairment, heart disease, kidney failure, and even prevent wounds from healing.
