Problems with vision are more likely as we age, but there's plenty we can do to protect our sight. Use this guide to keep your eyes healthy.
Our eyesight is the sense we value the most.
In a recent Gallup survey of more than 1000 Britons, 90 per cent declared they would rather be immobile or deaf than blind.
Despite this, surprisingly few of us understand how we can protect our eyes until it is too late to reverse the damage.
Age and eyesight
Eye problems become more likely as we get older, with 50 per cent of people over 75 having age-related eye problems such as:
- cataracts - clouding of the lens
- age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - when the central part of the retina becomes damaged
- glaucoma - loss of vision and damage to the optic nerve.
These diseases can only be treated medically, but according to Professor Ian Grierson from the Ophthalmic Department of Liverpool University, there is plenty you can do to protect your sight before age takes its toll.
'The eye lens is continuously bombarded with light that contains damaging free radicals,' Professor Grierson explains.
'Over time these will inevitably destroy the lens, but you can slow down or even prevent that process.'
Exposing your eyes to too much direct sunlight will also cause lens irritation.
Researchers from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research found that people who were exposed to high levels of sunlight were up to four times more likely to develop cataracts.
Professor Grierson recommends that people invest in good quality sunglasses and avoid direct sun exposure at midday.
Spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen can damage the muscles in your eyes. This can lead to eye strain or eye fatigue. Symptoms include:
- difficulty focusing (blurred vision)
- double vision (diplopia)
- eye dryness.
Professor Grierson says: 'If you work at a computer, take a break every 20 to 30 minutes.
'Try looking into the distance for a few seconds every fifteen minutes because the eye is a muscle and needs exercising.
Try this 30-second eye exercise to relax and reset the eye muscles.
- Close your eyes and cover them with your hands.
- Take several deep breaths.
- Open your eyes and let them adjust to the darkness.
- Uncover your eyes and allow your eyes to adjust to the light and refocus.
'Encouraging it to focus away from the screen and onto various objects in the near and far distance will keep it more flexible and help avoid eye strain.'
Check the lighting levels around your PC.
- Inadequate lighting forces your eyes to maintain accurate focus. The eyes do this automatically, but the muscles will tire.
- Make sure your workstation is not facing a bright window or light source.
- Clean the screen at regular intervals to remove dust.
- Anti-glare devices can also be useful.
Smoky environments can irritate the eye's delicate membranes. If you can't avoid smoke, make sure you keep your eyes moist with eyewash or eye drops.
Contact lens wearers can be particularly vulnerable to infections such as conjunctivitis.
If lenses are not cleaned thoroughly, they can introduce bacteria into the eye and create a build-up of protein deposits that will irritate the cornea.
Also, try not to wear your lenses all day every day. Take them out for an hour or more during the day or in the evening so oxygen can get into the eyes.
Wear your glasses for a day to give your eyes a break.
Most make-up won't harm your eyes if used properly, but some people's eyes can be sensitive to certain types.
Look for hypo-allergenic brands and mascaras that say they have been 'ophthalmologically tested'.
Beauty products can harbour bacteria that leads to infection.
The general consensus among beauty experts is that you should change your mascara every three months.
Smoking and alcohol
An unhealthy lifestyle will take its toll on your eyes, in much the same way it does on the rest of your body.
Anything that slows down the healthy circulation of the blood, from smoking to drinking too much alcohol, can damage your eyes.
Poor circulation means toxins are not removed efficiently from the eye.
The good news is that making changes to your lifestyle, such as quitting smoking and exercising more, can benefit your eyes and help protect your sight.
Diet can play its part in eye health.
Experts agree on the importance of vitamin A, chromium and zinc. These can be found in a balanced diet full of fresh fruit and leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach.
'There are several foods that can help,' adds Professor Grierson. 'Lutein is absolutely vital for eye health because it protects the photoreceptors in the lens.
'We do not produce it naturally so we have to get it from what we eat. All colourful vegetables and fruits contain high levels of lutein, but especially yellow foods like yellow pepper and green ones like spinach.
'Avocados too are the complete package for eye protection. They contain lutein and vitamins A, C and E, as well as fat solubles that make the absorption of these vitamins more efficient.'
A diet low in refined sugars could also help keep your vision sharp. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a low GI diet – one that steered clear of sugary foods – was linked to better eyesight in old age.
If you get something in your eye, try rinsing it out with warm water or eyewash.
Don't try to remove it with cotton buds or any other object because you could do more harm than good.
Instead, go to your nearest A&E or contact your GP.
Yearly check up
Finally, Professor Grierson advises yearly eye check-ups at an opticians.
'An optometrist can discover a lot more than failing eyesight,' he says.
'Glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and cholesterol build-up can all be diagnosed.'
Common eye problems
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is redness and soreness of the clear covering that coats the white of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. Can be very contagious. Use over-the-counter eye cleansing solution or antibiotic eye drops.
- Eye floaters are deposits or condensation in the vitreous jelly of the eye that lead to floating spots in vision. Caused by normal ageing changes within the eye. Most decrease in size and darkness with time.
- Stye is an infected root of an eyelash that feels like a hard painful spot or lump on the eyelid. It's usually caused by bacteria called staphylococci. Treatment options include pain relief with aspirin or paracetamol, a warm compress to draw out the pus or antibiotic eye ointment.
- Dry eye is a condition where there is a problem with the production of tears. Eyes feel irritated, scratchy, dry and uncomfortable. Use eye washes regularly to help moisten the surface of the eyes. ends