How To Keep Your Eye Health & Sight In Top Condition
What are a few signs you should look for when it comes to deteriorating eye health?
“Signs of deteriorating eye health to look out for include blurred vision which was identified by almost half (49 %) of respondents in a new MacuShield survey. Eye fatigue is another sign, as well as poor vision in low light conditions.” – Francesca Marchetti, optometrist and co-author of a new report by MacuShield – How Fit Are Your Eyes?
What is actually happening in our eyes that causes the changes?
“The lens inside your eye is the main player. When you're young, it's soft and flexible, changing shape easily to focus on things up close. From your early 40s, it gradually stiffens and loses that ability – this is known as presbyopia. Your reading prescription typically continues to increase into your 50s and 60s, even if your distance prescription barely changes.” – Zahra Jessa, optometrist at FINLAY
Can hormone changes affect eye health?
“When it comes to women, hormonal changes – specifically the decline of oestrogen and progesterone during perimenopause and menopause – impact eye health and are often wrongly attributed to general ageing or fatigue. These include watery eyes which can be a sign of dry eye syndrome. Declines in oestrogen and progesterone compromise the meibomian oil glands affecting oil secretion in the eye. Without healthy oils to lubricate the eye surface, the eyes fill the gap by producing watery tears that fail to lubricate the eye as effectively as oil. With failing lubrication may come fluctuating vision throughout the day, sharp in the morning and blurry at night. Falling oestrogen levels speed up the age-related breakdown of proteins within the eye’s lens, leading to premature clouding and intense light scattering or glare which can make driving in the dark difficult.” – Francesca
How do I know if I have glaucoma?
“Most cases of early-stage glaucoma show no noticeable symptoms or pain. Subtle early changes include loss of peripheral vision where side vision may be lost slowly, making it hard to see objects at the edges of the visual field. Bumping into things may also happen. Missing things out of the corner of your eye can lead to accidentally tripping over items or clipping door frames. Small, hard-to-notice patchy gaps can also develop in your side or central vision as the optic nerve starts to sustain damage. While lost vision cannot be restored, progression can be slowed or stopped using medicated eye drops daily, laser treatments or surgery. Regular routine eye tests are vital for early detection.” – Francesca
What about cataracts?
“Your eyes lens can also become cloudy, which is a cataract. There are several types. The most common age-related form, nuclear sclerosis, causes the centre of the lens to become harder and more yellow, and can sometimes shift your distance prescription towards short-sightedness. Diabetics or an eye injury can also increase the chances of cataracts forming. Other types can develop towards the edge or at the back of the lens and may cause glare, haloes and reduced contrast rather than an obvious change in prescription.” – Zahra
What mistakes are people making when it comes to eye health?
“The biggest one is assuming that clear vision means healthy eyes. Glaucoma and some retinal conditions can cause no symptoms in their early stages, and an eye test is often where they're first picked up. It can also flag wider health issues. Most adults should have regular eye examinations – at FINLAY we recommend every one to two years, with frequency depending on age, eye health and individual risk factors.
“Another mistake is skimping on UV protection. You wouldn't skip sun cream and your eyes need protection too. A dark lens doesn't necessarily mean good UV protection, so look for sunglasses that offer 100% UVA and UVB protection (often labelled UV400). All FINLAY sunglasses are fitted with world-renowned ZEISS lenses for full UVA and UVB protection.” – Zahra
Can poor eye health be a sign of anything else?
“The reason we push so hard for people to get their eyes checked regularly isn’t just about the eyes. The retina gives us a direct window onto what is happening throughout the body. Blurred vision is often one of the earliest and most easily missed clues for diabetes. Blurring happens because the lens inside the eye can swell when blood sugar levels climb too high, and the same effect can occur when levels drop too low. The result is temporary but noticeable blurring that can affect one or both eyes.
“Over time, the bigger concern is what persistently high blood sugar does to the back of the eye. Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye), causing them to leak fluid and the retina to swell. In some cases, vessels stop working altogether, prompting the growth of fragile new blood vessels that can bleed. Left unchecked, this can progress to retinal detachment or glaucoma but, if we spot the damage while it’s still at an early stage, we have a real chance of protecting someone's sight for good.” – Mr Chien Wong, consultant ophthalmic surgeon and director at OCL Vision
How can nutrition affect eye health?
“Good nutrition is vital for good eye health. Poor night vision, for example, has been linked to zinc deficiency and nutrition is thought to play a key role in cataracts. Eat well and your eyes will reap the benefits. Go for a healthy diet with antioxidants to help reduce oxidative stress in the eye lens – this means plenty of fruit and vegetables for vitamin C, oily fish for omega-3s, nuts and seeds and wholegrain.
“When it comes to specific eye nutrients, many people have not heard of them. Firstly, the macular carotenoids – lutein, meso-zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin – form the macular pigment in the macula at the back of the eye. Our bodies cannot make these macular carotenoids, so they need to be obtained from the the food we eat or from a specialist dietary eye supplement. Lutein is found in vegetables and fruit, in particular dark green vegetables, such as kale, spinach and broccoli. Zeaxanthin is found in orange and yellow fruit and vegetables such as oranges, peppers and sweetcorn.
“Other vitamins and minerals also play a key role in eye health by helping to protect the eye tissues from oxidative damage linked to blue light (such as sun and digital screen) exposure. These nutrients include vitamins C, E, B2, zinc and copper. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the maintenance of normal vision. A healthy lifestyle and diet are important for eye health but people who can’t manage this could consider a specialist eye health supplement also containing the macular carotenoids and omega-3s and I’d opt for MacuShield Original+ Omega 3.” – Francesca
Are there any exciting advancements in ophthalmology or glasses that people should know about?
“Retinal imaging is getting smarter. Detailed imaging of the back of the eye allows us to detect and monitor subtle changes, and AI-assisted analysis is increasingly being used to support the detection of certain retinal conditions.
“In eyewear, progressive lenses can now be digitally tailored to your prescription, frame and how you actually use your eyes, from long screen days to driving. Eyewear is becoming much more personal and responsive to individual visual needs.” – Zahra
Visit Macushield.com, FinlayAndCo.com & OCLVision.com
SHOP THE EYE HEALTH EDIT
DISCLAIMER: Features published by SheerLuxe are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programme.
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