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Whilst we have five main senses – vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell - in most modern cultures, eyesight is considered to be the most important. Without doubt, eyes are an utterly fascinating part of our body but as with most of our body parts, as we age their performance will almost certainly reduce.
Thankfully, with modern technology our optical needs are able to be very accurately determined with glasses or contact lenses designed to enable us to read, drive, and to recognise people and distinguish things at a distance. But what actually happens to our eyes as the years go by?
As we age, the lens inside our eyes becomes less flexible making it harder to adjust focus from a near object to something in the distance. Apparently, this usually begins in our 40s and we may notice that our pupils become smaller too and we find changing levels of light more challenging. This happens because the muscles that control our pupil size weaken, reducing the eye’s ability to adapt to light and dark around us. This makes reading in a dimly lit environment much more difficult and we may also struggle to adapt to very bright lights.
Cataracts
Many of us will be told that we have a cataract by our optician. A cataract is when the lens inside our eye becomes cloudy and it affects our ability to see clearly. It also can affect our ability to see at night and some colours may appear faded. In Newsletter 134 we described cataract and refractory surgery so I won’t repeat that here. After my cataract surgery I was amazed at how beautiful colours looked as they were so much brighter.
Cataract surgery can be performed on the NHS and your optician will advise you when your eyes are ready for such a procedure. A cataract has to be ‘ready’ for lens exchange and your optician will tell you when it is.
The great bonus of visiting an optician is that an eye test can reveal cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension/high blood pressure, auto-immune disorders, high cholesterol/cardiovascular disease and even tumours.
Decreased Contrast Sensitivity
This describes our inability to distinguish between subtle differences in shades of light and dark, an ability which can decrease over time. This is often due to changes in the retina and optic nerve and can make driving at night much more challenging as the oncoming lights look so bright. Also, driving in fog becomes even more difficult.
Floaters
Floaters are tiny spots or strands we can see floating around in our field of vision and they are caused by the gel-like substance in our eye becoming more liquified as we age. This leads to the formation of clumps and strands that cast shadows on our retina in our eyes. I certainly have them and if one gets in the way when I’m reading, I just move my eyes and that seems to help.
Dry Eyes
Dry eyes are caused by the decrease in tear production and this can lead to dry and itchy or even burning eyes. This is caused by tear production often decreasing with age, and the tears produced may be lower in quality compared with when we were younger. Because they are of reduced strength, they can evaporate more quickly resulting in our eyes being dryer. If necessary, your GP will prescribe drops to aid lubrication.
Reduced Peripheral Vision
Peripheral vision refers to our ability to see things in the outer area of our view when we are looking straight ahead without moving our eyes. As we get older our peripheral vision may reduce due to changes in our retina and optic nerve. It may even be the brain’s reduced ability to process visual information. This is one of the reasons why driving can prove challenging as we get older, because the lack of awareness of what is happening in our peripheral vision can be dangerous, not only to ourselves but also to other motorists and pedestrians.
Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for our central vision. Whilst the exact cause is not known, as the name suggests, it is associated with ageing and can lead to loss of central vision making activities like reading or recognising people more difficult.
Glaucoma
This is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often due to increased pressure in the eye. Again, the risk of this condition increases as we grow older and it can lead to the gradual loss of peripheral vision and, if left untreated, can cause blindness.
Summing Up
Whilst some of these changes may be inevitable, having an eye test can certainly help detect age-related diseases early so that appropriate action may be taken if necessary. Thankfully, eye tests are free throughout the UK every two years for everyone over 60 years of age.
A useful tip to help your eyes stay healthy is to try using a heated pad on the eyes occasionally. You can find one quite cheaply at most chemist's shops and they heat up in the microwave, according to instructions. I once had an eye infection and the specialist told me ‘If you don’t ever want to have to see me again, use the heated eye pad every couple of weeks’!
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 In the Ageing Well section of the website Rosemary explains her remarkable experience of having her cataracts removed and lens replacement surgery. As a result of which, she no longer needs to wear glasses. |
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Pork in Spicy Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4
Per serving: 395 calories, 2% fat
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
4 x 100g lean pork steaks
8 tbsps live natural yogurt
1 tbsp mild curry powder
2 tbsps mango chutney
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
220g (dry weight) basmati rice
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Remove any visible fat from the pork steaks and place in a shallow heatproof dish.
- Combine the other ingredients in a bowl to make the sauce.
- Spread both sides of the pork steaks with the sauce and place under the grill for 8 - 10 minutes per side.
- While the steaks are under the grill, cook the rice in a pan of boiling water with a vegetable stock cube, and drain.
- Serve the steaks with the boiled rice and a salad.
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Don't forget, you can download and print a copy of all our recipes if you click on the image to go to the recipe's page on the website.
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Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
Many years ago, when I was a lot younger, I taught exercise to a group I called the 'Take It Easy' class. As the title suggests it was designed to be very gentle, and in fact much of it was done sitting in a chair, until I got them so much fitter that they eventually begged me to let them stand up! These ladies seemed very elderly to me at the time and yet most were only in their 60s, with maybe only one or two over 70. Imagine! What I remember was that many of them were widows or, if their husband was still alive, he probably had major health issues with his heart.
I am only mentioning this because so many men in their 60s at that time were retiring from maybe 40 years of work and then dying of a sudden heart attack very soon afterwards, which meant they didn’t live to enjoy their retirement. The sad thing is, they probably had no idea that they had any problem with their heart at all, with no symptoms whatsoever. Thankfully, today we have regular health checks available to us with early detection of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and high triglycerides (fat in the blood). Sadly, all of these can lead to a fatal heart attack, particularly with men, but thanks to these health checks the rate of sudden heart attacks has lowered. However, coronary heart disease (CHD) is still the biggest killer globally and the shocking truth is that it is almost entirely preventable!
So, this week I am talking about the heart – that truly amazing piece of machinery that beats 100,000 times every single day of our life, pumping eight pints of blood through our circulatory system, delivering essential nutrients to every part of our body and if we look after it, it will look after us!
Women and Heart Disease
You may be quite shocked to know that more women die of a heart attack in the UK than with breast cancer, yet it is still regarded primarily a man's ailment. However, once we ladies pass the menopause, our risk of a heart problem is fairly equal to the men.
The female hormone oestrogen has protective cardiovascular benefits, but once that declines post-menopause those protective elements are gone. Each year more than 30,000 women are admitted to hospital due to a heart attack. Also, CHD was the biggest killer of women worldwide in 2019 – a sobering statistic, and one that should encourage us to do everything we can to have the most efficient heart possible.
What causes the heart to go wrong?
- High Blood Pressure.
Regular checks of our blood pressure are essential. If it is not detected it makes our arteries tougher, tighter and less elastic, restricting the flow of blood and so increasing pressure. If you have watched the recent Michael Mosley programme on how the human body works, the latest research is telling us that isometric exercise (where the muscle is 'held' in contraction as in 'The Plank' and 'Sitting at the Wall') helps to reduce blood pressure even better than aerobics. I have now read the research and this seems to hold true. Build the time up gradually though if you fancy trying it.
- High Cholesterol.
The introduction of statins has meant that cholesterol levels can be very effectively controlled. Many are reluctant to go on them and may try dietary and exercise alternatives first, but again the research suggests a statin is a wonder drug with few side effects for the majority of users, and it may just prevent you having a heart attack! When my husband went on statins it not only reduced his cholesterol but also his blood pressure. A double bonus in my book!
- High Triglycerides.
This is the level of fat found in the blood and caused by foods high in saturated fat and by consuming more calories than the body needs, causing the excess to be stored as fat in the blood. A risk for CHD.
- Being very Overweight or Obese.
This is of particular concern if our fat lies predominantly around our waist. So, ladies, if your waist measurement exceeds 35 inches and for men 40 inches, then the chances are you have a high level of visceral fat around your vital organs, seriously increasing your risk of CHD.
- Being a Smoker.
A smoker is twice as likely to have a heart attack as a non-smoker. Not much more needs to be said!
- Not moving much.
Never getting that heart to do some real work on a regular basis is not good news. Your heart is quite simply a muscle – it needs to work hard!
How to have a Healthy Heart
- Be a healthy weight. It is so easy to check our Body Mass Index (BMI) on the NHS website. If you are over BMI 30 it is critical for your health that you get that number down.
- Limit your sugar intake. Particularly reduce sugar-laden soft drinks. A 2020 review found that a high intake of fizzy drinks led to a 50% higher risk of high triglycerides (fat) in the blood!
- Eat more fibre. This message won't go away! Plenty of fibre-rich foods slows the absorption of fat and sugar in the intestine so decreasing the fat in the blood.
- Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise is particularly good, and if you can increase the intensity in short bursts (e.g. walking up hill) then it is more than twice as effective. Plan to get out of breath at least once a day is my motto!
- Eat oily fish and nuts. This is all about our omega-3, the best polyunsaturated fat there is for reducing those triglycerides.
- Get plenty of social contact. Researchers at Harvard, in a large study of human social networks, found that greater friendship and family ties predicted lower levels of fibrinogen, which is a clotting factor in the blood and a cause of blood clots and heart attacks. Friendships can reduce disease. Amazing!
So finally, because I think this phrase is worth repeating… Look after your heart and it will look after you!
For some people I know that there are genetic factors within families that make it harder to control and reduce the risks, but with good lifestyle choices as described above, we are giving ourselves the best chance of not following in the footsteps of previous family members. I wish you well if that is the case for you.
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Learn more about Heart Attack
Neuro-Physiotherapist JD Hylton gives advice and encouragement to help you regain your fitness after suffering a Heart Attack.
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Learn more about Stroke
Rosemary talks to Physiotherapist Judith Pitt-Brooke about Stroke, what happens and how can we help prevent it happening.
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This Week's Fitness Challenge
- Be conscious this week of making sure you get out of breath at least once every day. Walking up and down stairs 3 times does the trick or push the intensity a bit on your daily 30+ minute walk.
- Stress and poor mental health can increase the risk of heart problems too. Try practicing mindfulness or enjoy a long slow Whole Body Stretch Programme to calm the body.
- Try exercising with others this week. Go to a class or meet up for a walk with a friend. Increase your social contacts.
- Select three Strength Workouts from our website to do this week.
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Did you know... 
There is a difference between a Heart Attack and a Cardiac Arrest?
They are often thought to be interchangeable descriptions of the same problem but they are actually very different. One is a plumbing problem and the other is electrical!
A heart attack occurs where the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of heart attacks. This is a condition in which the major blood vessels (coronary arteries) that supply the heart muscle become clogged by a build-up of deposits of fatty substances, known as plaques. If one of the plaques bursts a blood clot can develop at the site of the rupture and the clot may block the supply of blood to the heart, triggering a heart attack.
The medical solution for a heart attack is to fix the plumbing by clearing the "blocked pipes" and/or thinning the blood to enable it to flow more easily again.
Cardiac arrest happens when your heart stops beating, or beats so fast that it stops pumping blood, due to disruption of the electrical signals it is receiving. Cardiac arrest can occur without warning and can cause the sufferer to typically collapse and become unresponsive very quickly. They stop breathing or may start gasping for air.
The medical solution for cardiac arrest is to fix the electrics by attempting to shock the heart back into a regular electrical rhythm using a defibrillator.
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And finally...
This week we have addressed two vital parts of our body – our eyes and our heart. These are both parts of our body where we can take some control of their health by keeping ourselves fit and following a healthy lifestyle. With determination and a real desire to look after ourselves, and by taking advantage of available health checks, we can do so much to help ourselves to manage our lives. We just have to want to do it!
Have a great week.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
P.S. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my hubby Mike was doing the daily 2-minute Plank Challenge in support of Cancer Research UK. He has asked me to thank everyone who has sponsored him and for the good wishes he has received. He is now three weeks into the Challenge and is doing well. Thank you so much!
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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