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Looking after your Eye Sight

Looking after your Eye Sight

The senses often become blunted with age. Changes tend to take place very gradually. If you experience a sudden change in your ability to see or hear, consult a doctor as it may be a sign of underlying illness.

The eyes undergo a number of changes as you grow older. The lens becomes more opaque and loses its flexibility, the iris becomes sluggish, the retina can become less sensitive to light, and a condition called glaucoma – in which pressure builds up inside the eye – becomes more likely. On average, the eye of a 60-year-old person lets in half as much light as a younger person’s. The most common type of age-related vision change is long-sightedness.

Warning signs of eye problems are as follows:

You should have your eyesight tested yearly as you get older, and consult your doctor or ophthalmologist about any changes in your vision. The treatment for eye problems ranges from reading glasses for long- sightedness to surgery for cataracts. If you have adult-onset diabetes, you should be particularly vigilant about having regular eye checks – diabetes is one of the main causes of blindness.

Try to protect your eyes as a much as possible by:

 

 

  The Bates method of eye exercises

This is a series of eye exercise that may help to improve vision.
  • Splash the eyes with warm water 10 times and then cold water 10 times to increase blood circulation to the eyes.
  • Twice a day, rest your elbows on a table and cup your hands over your eyes. Allow yourself to relax for 10 minutes. If you do a lot of close up or computer work try to do this for one minute on a regular basis.
  • Try not to stare rigidly at any object for a long period of time. Every five minutes look away briefly and focus on something else for a few seconds.
  • To strengthen the eye muscles, hold one index finger 10cm/4in in front of your eyes, and place the other index finger at arm’s length behind it. Focus with both eyes on the nearest finger for a few seconds, blink, and then focus on the distant finger. Repeat this exercise 10 times, blinking between each change of focus to lubricate and clean the eyes.

 

It is important to look after your eyesight to prevent your vision deteriorating and to prevent the development of eye diseases.

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