Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
Like Rosemary, I recently found that my eyesight was not as good as it was. It was a shock to have an eye test and not be able to read the letters, even with my glasses on! So, I have had both cataracts done, two weeks apart and it has been a resounding success. A recent trip to Scotland confirmed that I could see for miles and made the wonderful scenery even more breathtaking.
Unlike Rosemary, however, I do not have perfect vision at all distances – the highly annoying hassle of looking for reading glasses still prevails! Nevertheless, I am delighted to be more confident whilst driving and, more importantly, not needing to wear glasses all the time.
All of the five senses are very important to all of us, but for me, I rate eyesight above all of them. Consequently, once it needed some attention, I didn’t hesitate to get the treatment on offer. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but after just a few hours all was well, leaving only the frustration of putting drops into the eyes for a short while afterwards.
My mother-in-law suffered a much more serious eye complaint in her later years called age-related macular degeneration, (AMD). She required more difficult treatment and in some cases this problem is not treatable at all. AMD is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK with 1.2 million diagnosed with early-stage, and 700,000 with late-stage age-related macular degeneration. AMD is a condition that is the main cause of sight impairment in the Western world. Sadly, my mother-in-law had been a very heavy smoker for all the years that I had known her and for much of her final years she was almost totally blind.
I wondered if there was any way we could avoid it happening and what I found out was really no surprise as I am sure you will agree!
1. Eat right for good sight
Eating a healthy balanced diet (just like the one we promote constantly through this Newsletter and on our website) can reduce our risk of developing common eye conditions. Eye-friendly nutrients include spinach, red peppers, kale, leeks, avocado, peaches and blueberries – the sort of list we love!
Cold water fish such as sardines, mackerel and tuna are all excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids which provide structural support to cell membranes in the eye so are recommended for general sight preservation. Recent research has shown how eating fish just once a week can reduce our risk of developing AMD by up to 40 percent. Make sure it is on your shopping list!
2. Exercise regularly
Just like the rest of our body, the eyes need oxygen to stay healthy and comfortable. Growing scientific research suggests that aerobic exercise can increase crucial oxygen supplies to the optic nerve and lower pressure in the eye. This reduction in eye pressure can also help to control conditions such as glaucoma. Those daily brisk walks now hold even more value!
3. Get a good night’s sleep
This keeps coming up in the good health stakes! A good night’s sleep can help to keep our eyes bright and refreshed. A quick fix for any discomfort following a sleepless night is to place a cold wet facecloth over our eyes – then lie back and relax for 10 minutes.
4. Don't smoke and reduce alcohol
These two are so often on the list! Smokers have a significantly higher risk of eye disease than non-smokers. Research shows that smokers are twice as likely to lose their sight in later life than non-smokers.
Drinking too much alcohol interferes with our liver functions reducing glutathione (an anti-oxidant) which protects against common eye disease.
5. Wear sunglasses
Too much exposure to the sun's UV rays can lead to a sunburn-like condition called photokeratitis and inflammation of the outer layer of the cornea. This can be extremely painful and make the eyes red, swollen and watery. The damaging effects are cumulative and over a long period the risk of developing cataracts and other conditions is likely.
Sunglasses should filter at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB light and look out for the CE or BS EN 1836:1997 marks when choosing sunglasses.
6. Watch your weight.
It is important to reach and maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) – music to our ears! Excess body weight can damage blood vessels which has been linked to both glaucoma and diabetes. Go to The 28-Day Immunity Plan to help you reach a healthy BMI. To check your BMI simply go to the NHS BMI Calculator, but before you do, measure your height as this can change as we grow older and it affects your BMI calculation.
7. Drink plenty of water
The human body is made up of 70% water and keeping well hydrated is essential for the normal working of the body, including the eyes. Dehydration would lead to dry, sore and irritated eyes. Aim for 6 - 8 glasses of water a day and this will do the job nicely!
8. Get your eyes tested regularly
It has always amazed me that an eye test can detect a number of health conditions, not just those connected with the eye itself. A good reason then, to always take an eye test every 2 years which can be free if you are over 60 or meet other qualifying criteria.
So, making subtle changes to our lifestyle can improve our eye health and seriously reduce our risks of developing common eye conditions. Check that you are able to tick off all of these recommendations and then you will know you are on the right track.
