How Often Should Seniors Get Their Eyes Checked? And 6 Other Tips for Senior Eye Health

Seniors need to make sure that they are taking care of themselves as they age, and part of this is making sure that they have the best eye health possible. Going in for regular eye checkups is a great way to keep up on eye health, but there are other tips that can also help seniors to improve their eye health. Having a Senior Helper in Erie can also make getting eye exams and doing other important eye health tips much easier.

Here are some great tips.

Have Eyes Checked Every 1-2 Years 

It is very important that seniors get their eyes checked as they age because their eyes can begin to deteriorate. If an individual is older than 65 years old, they should be having their eyes checked every 1-2 years. During this examination, the eye doctor will check their eye pressures and their visual field. They will also give them a dilated retinal examination, look at their eyes under a slit lamp microscope, and test refraction. This allows the optometrist to see if there is anything wrong with the older individual's depth perception, eye alignment, and eye movement. If there is something wrong with their eyes, further tests will be completed, new lenses will be placed in their glasses, or they will get an updated prescription.

Be Alert For Any Eye Health Issues

It is also important that older individuals stay alert for any abnormal eye issues that may occur. This can include things like decreased vision issues, redness in one or both eyes, pain in one or both eyes, seeing double vision, seeing tiny specs floating in their line of vision, visual halos when looking at lights, or seeing flashes of light before their eyes. If one or more of these things are occurring, it is best to get into the optometrist, so they can see what may be causing the issue.

Protect Eyes From The Sun 

Because the UV Rays from the sun are very damaging, it is important that older individuals do all that they can to protect their eyes from the sun. If they are in direct sunlight for any period of time, wearing eyeglasses that offer protection from the sun is key. These can be any type of glasses that offer UV protection but will likely need to be prescribed if they wear regular glasses as well.

Avoid Smoking 

Smoking can cause a number of eye issues, so it is best for an older individual to avoid smoking altogether. Things like cataracts, dry eye, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve problems, thyroid orbitopathy, and uveitis can all be caused by smoking.

Make Smart Food Choices

It is very important that older individuals are doing all that they can to eat properly and get in the proper amounts of vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and protein. While all foods are important to overall health, getting enough lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc are excellent for helping with vision. Many of these are found in foods but can also be taken in supplement form.

Maintain An Active Lifestyle

Lastly, maintaining an active lifestyle when in Erie is a great way for an older person to not only stay healthy overall but also to improve their vision. One reason for this is that it increases blood flow to the optic nerve and the retina, thus allowing both to function properly or, at the very least, reduce issues.

To learn more about tips for good eye health in Seniors or to hire a Senior Helper inErie today, contact us!