Tips for healthy eyes for the elderly

As we grow older it’s important to make sure we look after our bodies and we regularly encourage our elderly service users to make sure they eat well, get plenty of exercise and take up hobbies to help keep their mind active, but one other important part of the body we encourage them to look after is their eyes. A part that many forget about when it comes to ageing.

Our eyesight changes as we get older and, according to the NHS, almost all of us will need to wear glasses or contact lenses by the age of 65. As well as having regular eye tests and wearing the correct glasses or lenses, there are some things you can do to help keep your eyes healthy. We’ve put some top tips together for you to follow or pass on to elderly friends or relatives:

Shield eyes from the sun

The biggest cause of damage to the eyes is the sun so always wear good quality UV protective sunglasses, which will block our 99% – 100% of UVA nad UVB rays. This will help reduce the risk of cateracts and macular degeneration.

Use good lighting

Your eyes need three times as much light when you’re 60+ as they did when you were 20. You can help increase good lighting by keeping curtains open and windows clean. Make sure potentially hazardous areas of the home are well-lit and use table lamps positioned so light is not reflected and causing glare.

Get enough sleep

Sleeping helps to lubricate the eyes and get rid of irritants such as dust and smoke that may have accumulated during the day.

Eat well

Age-related eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration can be prevented by eating foods which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamins C and E. Foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, oily fish, citrus fruits, nuts and eggs are great to include in your diet.

Keep screen time to a minimum

Tech-savvy elderly folk should keep time on phones, tablets and computers to a minimum as looking at them for too long can cause a number of problems, including eyestrain, focus issues, blurred vision, dry eyes and headaches.