How To Improve Your Eyesight As You Age

That's why it's important to stay on top of your eye health. While you can’t fully stop the effects of aging, there are many things you can do to help keep your vision sharp. Find out more:

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By Tamrah Harris

Contributor

Expert Reviewed

Jennifer Lyerly, O.D. Optometry/ Myopia, Contact Lenses/ Ocular Health

Commissions we earn from partner links on this page do not affect our opinions or evaluations. Our editorial content is based on thorough research and guidance from the Forbes Health Advisory Board.

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By age 40, you may begin to notice slight changes in your eyesight that, if left untreated, can worsen. Initially, you may find yourself holding papers and menus at arm’s length to see words more clearly or needing more light to read comfortably. Maybe you’re even having difficulty driving at night because of glare.

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Changes in eyesight are a significant health problem for older adults and can majorly affect your sense of independence and overall quality of life. Here’s what you should know about changes in vision as you age and ways to help preserve your eyesight.

Why Your Vision Changes as You Age

Many factors play a role in how well your eyes age, and each eye disorder affects different parts of the eye, which can cause changes in your eyesight. A few common age-related vision changes include:

• Decreased visual acuity. With a decrease in visual acuity, you notice less detail in objects. It’s tested during an eye exam when you stand 20 feet from the eye chart and are asked to read a line of letters from the chart without wearing your glasses or contact lenses. You may also be asked to cover one eye at a time and read aloud the smallest letters you can see on the chart.
• Decreases in contrast sensitivity. Simply put, your eyes are less able to detect small changes in light. Difficulty with driving at night is a common example of decreased contrast sensitivity. For this test, the examiner asks you to look at a chart with rows of letters and name the letters in ambient lighting. As the test progresses, the contrast between the letters and the background decreases so it’s harder to distinguish what’s written.
• Diminished capacity to accommodate. To test for accommodation, the doctor has you look at a near reading card and then adds prescription lenses until the target becomes clear.
• Heightened sensitivity to glare. While driving, you may increasingly notice glare from headlights at night or sun reflecting off windshields during the day. The scattering of the light entering your eye due to changes to your eye lens causes this intense glare.

Ways to Preserve Your Eyesight

Preventive healthcare includes taking care of your eyesight. The National Institute for Aging offers the following tips for preserving your vision.

Get Regular Eye Exams

Having problems with your eyes is common, but they can go unnoticed for a long time. A dilated eye exam is vital to finding eye problems early, which is when treatment is most effective. The recommended frequency of dilated eye exams can vary, so ask your doctor what schedule is best for you.

The National Institute for Aging suggests completing a dilated eye exam every one to two years if:

• You’re at least 60 years old.
• You’re African American and at least 40 years old.
• You have a family history of glaucoma.
• You have diabetes.
• You have hypertension.

Testing for visual acuity, depth perception, eye alignment and eye movement are all part of this exam. After administering dilating eye drops, your eye doctor can see inside your eyes and check for signs of health problems.

Wear Protection to Block Harmful UV Radiation

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun perpetually poses a danger to your eyes. In fact, length of UV radiation exposure is linked to the risk of developing cataracts, eye cancer and macular degeneration. When spending time outdoors, wear a wide-brimmed hat and quality sunglasses that provide UV protection.

Stop Smoking

Smoking is as unhealthy for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. It puts you at a higher risk of developing severe eye conditions that can cause vision loss or blindness. The development of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are strongly linked to smoking.

Pay Attention to Nutrition

Diet is an important factor that can have long-term effects on eye health. Eating a balanced diet high in fruit and green leafy vegetables—which contain carotenoids, zinc, vitamins C and E—is essential. Meanwhile, coldwater fish, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, may be protective against many age-related eye diseases.

Stay Physically Active

Researchers found participants who met physical activity guidelines—150 minutes of activity a week—had a 50% lower risk of glaucoma than those considered entirely sedentary^[1]. Moreover, people with the highest cardiovascular fitness had a 40% lower glaucoma risk than those at the lowest fitness levels. People who both met the fitness guidelines and were in the highest fitness category had the lowest risk for developing glaucoma.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

A recent study found obesity to be a risk factor for cataracts^[2]. Meanwhile, additional research shows an association between morbid obesity and elevated intraocular pressure and retinopathy, increasing the risk for glaucoma^[3].

Carefully Manage Diabetes

Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye problems that can affect people with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association^[4]. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts and glaucoma. Since diabetic retinopathy is a complication of both type 1 and 2 diabetes, it’s vital to keep blood glucose levels under control—the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy depends on how long you’ve had diabetes and how well you control your glucose levels.

Keep an Eye on Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure causes damage to blood vessels in the retina. The severity of the damage depends on the blood pressure measurement and the length of time it’s elevated. Your risk of damage and vision loss increases if you have high cholesterol—poor blood flow causes damage to the nerves and blockage of the arteries and veins.

Rest Your Eyes

Are you looking at a screen for all or part of your day in this digital age? The American Association of Ophthalmology recommends taking regular breaks by using the “20-20-20” rule: Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This practice can help reduce eye strain.

“To keep eyes healthy, the same things that keep the rest of you healthy work best,” says Sebastian Heersink, M.D., an ophthalmologist at Eye Center South in Dothan, Alabama. “Eat well, avoid smoking, get exercise, wear sunglasses (and safety glasses) and learn your family medical and eye history so you and your eye doctor can proactively care for your eyes during your regular eye visits.”

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