As you get older, it is important to look after every part of your body. Your eyes will degenerate over time, that is all part of ageing, but there are other ways to protect them. An illness can degrade your eyesight further, and that can lead to more health complications in the future. The best way to protect yourself from these issues is to learn about them. As such, this article will look at the most common eye-related issues in adults and explore where they come from.
Cataracts
There are several important parts of the eye that doctors will examine during an eye test. However, opticians at the Eye Clinic London will pay extra attention to the lens of your eye. As you age, the proteins in this part of the eye begin to disappear, leaving a cloudy fog over the eye. This is known as cataracts, and it is a perfectly normal part of the degeneration process in adults over the age of forty.
There are some lifestyle choices that can speed up the formation of cataracts, though. For example, smoking can quicken the breaking down of bodily proteins, which is another reason why it is important to quit this habit. Also, too much exposure to natural sunlight can damage the eyes, so make sure you wear sunglasses outside.
Glaucoma
Of course, everything in your body requires the oxygen from your blood to function correctly. That is why there are tiny blood vessels in and behind your eyes. Unfortunately, these vessels become susceptible to leaking in your later years. While this leaking is not dangerous, it can lead to an eye-related illness known as glaucoma.
Glaucoma can cause eye pain, headaches, blurred vision, and nausea, which is why it is important to diagnose this issue early. Your eye doctor should prescribe you eye drops to reduce the pressure behind your eyes. You can reduce your risk of glaucoma by reducing your blood pressure with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Retinopathy
Retinopathy is an eye disease caused by an infection in the retina. This type of disease is common in patients with diabetes. They are more likely to contract retinopathy from the high levels of sugar in their food, and the immune system is no longer equipped to process this excess. However, anyone can contract retinopathy.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for retinopathy. Instead, eye doctors can provide medical treatment to try and slow the regression of the retina. If the patient is suffering from severe pain due to their condition, they can undergo laser treatment to reduce the swelling in the blood vessels. However, this solution is only administered in the most extreme circumstances.
Conclusion
As with most health issues, a lot of the eye-related illnesses on this list can be prevented by living a healthy life. What’s more, you can always improve the health of your eyes by regularly meeting with a professional. An eye doctor can catch any potential illnesses early, and these are far more treatable when discovered in the beginning stages.
