How to Protect Your Eyes at Any Age

Hindsight is 20/20 right? Well, what about right now... how is your eyesight? Are you taking care of your eyes? There are certain things we can do to assure the care and health of our eyes.

In our 20's ---- computer communication can be a culprit

Be on the alert for noticeable changes in your eyesight. Can you see things as well as you did pre Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace? Can you not see objects from far away? Do you need to have a book or sign or any item be closer before it comes into focus? All that texting (and yes, I am writing this so that certain young someones can read this...) facebooking, twittering (yes, it is now a verb... but not in the way, my generation was brought up with.... Oh the advances of technology!) can have a detrimental effect on one's eyesight. Have an eye exam at least twice in your 20's if you had 20/20 prior in your teens. If your vision has already been impaired... once every three years at the max between optometrists visits, please.

In our 30's--- quench is key

Eyes become dry! Pay attention to all those commercial advertisements regarding dry eye syndrome. Birth control pills have been known to be one of the culprits behind dry eye syndrome... read those ad inserts in the magazines! Prescription eye drops or artificial fears can be an aid... but make it a point to have three eye exams between the ages of 30 and 39.

In our 40's and 50's.... great -now I am lumped with two generations.

Take heed... enjoy your 20's and 30's because the 40's will be here soon enough. Increase your ophthalmologist visits to once every eighteen months to two years. Have your eyes dilated in your regular exam. This allows your doctor to examine for conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Aging can also cause farsightedness. Though nearsighted when younger as we age, focusing on things right in front of us can prove to be difficult. See your doctor about reading glasses or bifocals. If the thought of lined lenses sends you into a panic, you can try progressive lenses or invisible bifocals....Manufacturers even market monovision contacts now. One is for nearsightedness, the other is for farsightedness. If the dreaded dry eye syndrome has escaped you... it may still occur... especially for women and the hormonal changes that comes with menopause.

In our 60's and older---- no longer a need to categorize by decades

Macular degeneration is at its highest risk when we are at this age. Macular Degeneration (part of the retina that processes light deteriorates) is the leading cause of age related blindness in the United States, but if caught early on many cases can be successfully treated. Do you see a glare from headlights whilst night driving? Do you suffer from blurred vision or extreme sensitivity to lights? All or any of these conditions can be a result from early onset cataracts... so schedule an eye exam for once a year.

Tips.... Wear UV protective sunglasses whenever you venture outside. Consuming fish can be a preventative to dry eyes due to the omega -3 fatty acids. Stop smoking! Smoking does not just hurt your lungs and those inhaling all that second hand smoke around you, it can damage eye cells which in turn can speed up the process of macular degeneration.