Like the rest of our bodies, our eyes go through many changes as we age. These changes often lead to conditions we associate with getting older. Those might include cataracts, which is the clouding of your eye lens; macular degeneration, which is the wearing of the central part of your retina; or glaucoma, a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve. But most age-related eye conditions are treatable, especially if caught early. And there are ways we can help maintain healthy eyes as we age, says Joshua Olson, MD, an ophthalmologist with the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Healthy-eye basics
To keep your eyes sharp as you age, Olson recommends starting with the basics of healthy living. “Staying active and eating healthy is not only important for overall health, but also for ocular health,” he says.
For example, a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes green leafy vegetables and seafood over processed foods and red meat, may help lower your risk of common eye conditions like dry eyes and macular degeneration, Olson notes.
Meanwhile, regular exercise can help you maintain healthy blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels and keep your weight under control. All of these health markers “ensure a ‘youthful’ blood supply for the eyes,” Olson says.
Be sure to avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, too. Smoking is a strong risk factor for the development of macular degeneration, Olson says.
The importance of exams
Certain age-related eye conditions, such as cataracts, can pop up regardless of lifestyle. Left untreated, conditions like cataracts can lead to permanent damage. Eye exams can help catch cataracts and other issues before they cause serious problems. Many health conditions associated with aging can also be spotted in an eye exam. These include diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, stroke, lupus, multiple sclerosis, nutritional deficiencies, and medication side effects.
Diabetic retinopathy, for example, is a diabetes-related eye condition that can cause blindness if your blood sugar levels stay high for too long. “Regular eye exams are important to not only preserve vision, but also to identify these potentially serious medical conditions,” Olson says.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends all adults 65 and older get their eyes checked every one to two years. If you’ve been diagnosed with an eye disease, have a medical condition like diabetes or hypertension, or use certain medications, your doctor might recommend more frequent exams.