September is Healthy Aging Month
September 2021 is Healthy Aging Month, a whole month dedicated to empowering older adults and raising awareness of the health measures you can take to promote the positive features of aging. At The Eye Institute, we’d like to take this opportunity to explain how you can take the best care of your eyes as you age, as well as shed light on signs of vision impairment and disease in aging adults.
Several eye or vision-related conditions can arise in all people as they grow older. These can include but are not limited to:
- Glaucoma
- Dry eyes
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Cataracts
- Temporal arteritis
While these conditions aren’t ideal most are highly treatable, and speaking with your eye doctor is the first step toward relief. As an aging or elderly adult, there are ways you can improve your vision health and manage your conditions. Let’s review them:
- Maintain a regular appointment schedule with your eye doctor.
In the early stages of aging, you might not have any vision problems or eye conditions. But as you get older, these issues may arise and it’s best to get treatment as soon as possible. We recommend coming in for an appointment every 6 months, and even more often if you are experiencing vision problems or other eye problems.
- Make an appointment immediately if experiencing any serious symptoms.
If you are developing cataracts, glaucoma, or any other eye-related disease, being proactive about treatment should be your priority. For example, glaucoma’s most recognized symptom is slow vision loss so if your vision is declining over time, you’ll want to talk to your eye doctor. Blurred vision is the most common symptom of cataracts so again, make an appointment as soon as possible.
- Wear protective eyewear.
As we age, our eyes weaken. Direct sunlight is never good for our eyes, however, it can be exceptionally damaging for older people. Be sure to wear protective eyewear, more specifically, UV-protected sunglasses when outdoors.
