Healthy Aging Month
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Watching sunsets, looking into the eyes of a loved one, seeing your family grow – the gift of vision never gets old – but your eyes do. For Healthy Aging Month, we’ve compiled a short list of straight-to-the-point actions you can take to keep your eyes healthy and happy as time goes on.
- Quit Smoking
We’ve all heard the warnings about smoking, with lung cancer being at the top of the list of diseases it can cause – but did you know smoking can also have a drastic effect on your eye health? Current and former smokers are up to four times more likely than non-smokers to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) – One of the leading cause of blindness in the United States. The sooner you quit, the better; the risk for developing ARMD remains high for up to 20 years after an individual quits smoking. - Maintain a Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is good for the body as it reduces the likelihood of diabetes and cardiovascular issues which then, in turn, may be better for the eyeballs. - Exercise Your Body – and Your Palate
A long-term study of over 15,000 participants showed that those who were physically active and drank occasionally experienced less vision loss over 20 years than those who were not physically active and did not drink at all. Exercising regularly generally helps improve overall health. - Wear Sunglasses
Just say no to UV rays. UV rays have been linked to increased risk of both cataracts and ARMD. Sunglasses have been linked to style, sophistication, and, oh yeah, healthy eyes.
While aging is inevitable, there are steps we can take to keep the eyes as healthy as possible. Adopt these tips to push back against eye degeneration, and follow along on our social media and blog for more content to keep you up-to-date on all the must-know eye health info.