Eye Health

How can I establish good eye health?

We can all take steps to maintain the level of vision we currently have. Here are some general tips to help you take great care of your eyes;

Wear appropriate protective gear

In certain jobs or while playing some sports, there is a high risk of small particles or harmful substances entering the eyes. A well-fitting pair of safety glasses should be worn consistently in such environments to ensure eyes are well protected.

Maintain a healthy diet

As with any other part of your body, your eyes require nutrients for optimal performance. Seek out natural sources of Selenium, Zinc and Omega 3 to gain antioxidants that are good for you overall and could reduce your chances of developing macular degeneration.

Keep your hands clean and away from your eyes

We’ve all become more sensitive about handwashing and avoiding face touching recently and these tips can also be useful for lowering the incidence of eye infections.

Reduce your screen time

Many of the screens we use every day for work and entertainment emit blue light which can be harmful to our eyes over time. Try to work offline whenever you can. If you must use these devices, make sure to take breaks roughly every three-quarters of an hour to give your eyes a rest.

what should I look out for?

It may not always be easy to tell if you’re just beginning to experience an eye-related health issue. Your symptoms may be mild enough to dismiss or you may not have any at all. As such, regular checkups are necessary so you can rely on a trained professional to pick up the signs you are more likely to miss.

More easily spotted symptoms include:

  • Changes in vision (including blurriness, double vision and blindness)
  • Light flashes or dark spots
  • Intense light sensitivity
  • Eye discharge
  • Painful eyes (including redness and swelling)

If you happen to experience any of the above in between checkups, come in and inform your optometrist right away.

When to look for these symptoms

Some conditions can predispose you to experience changes in vision or toward developing an eye disease. These include:

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can affect the eye’s blood vessels and cause a condition called hypertensive retinopathy. If left uncontrolled it may damage eyesight in ways that become permanent.

Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to sustained elevated blood sugar levels. If left unchecked, this can lead to diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to blindness. This can also affect women who develop gestational diabetes for the duration of their pregnancies.

Autoimmune Disorders

Several autoimmune disorders (including lupus and multiple sclerosis) can lead to inflammation which causes long term damage to eyes. In some cases, vision changes can be the first symptom that such conditions are present at all.

Shingles and other Infectious Diseases

Conjunctivitis, Shingles, Lyme Disease, Measles and other infections can affect your eyes to a greater or lesser extent. The blisters and swelling caused by ocular shingles may even lead to permanent eye damage.

Age

Though not technically a condition, age often affects your vision. From the age of 40 onward, your eye’s lenses will lose flexibility which may make it more difficult for you to see things that are close up.

Poor Diet

Inadequate consumption of key nutrients has been linked to decreases in night vision, dryness of the eyes and other symptoms. These are largely avoidable by consuming more foods containing Vitamins A, C and E along with zinc and lutein.

Common eye conditions

Eyes are more than the windows to our souls, they show us the world so that we can easily navigate, enjoy and participate in it. That makes eye care particularly important if we wish to preserve and enjoy such an important sense.

Unfortunately, it is all too common to ignore the initial signs of an eye issue or to forgo eye exams that might reveal a budding issue early enough to take corrective action. Here are just some of the more common eye issues that many Australians face:

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged leading to loss of vision. In chronic glaucoma, loss of sight starts at the periphery where it is less likely to be noticed but as the condition progresses and becomes more noticeable, so does its permanence.

Macular Degeneration

The macula is a part of the retina that helps you to read, recognise faces, drive and see colours clearly. It is the centre of your vision. Progressive damage to your macula is known as Macular degeneration and causes loss of central vision while peripheral vision is unaffected. Dry macular degeneration causes a gradual deterioration to the central vision as the macula tissue slowly dies. Wet macula degeneration requires immediate medical treatment.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition that affects diabetics. It begins as non-proliferative DR, in which the retina’s blood vessels engorge and drip fluids. At a later stage, it can become proliferative DR in which new vessels form abnormally on the retina setting off a chain reaction which can end in severe vision loss or blindness.

Cataract

When the eye’s lenses turn cloudy, a cataract is said to have formed. This reduces the amount of light that can reach the back of the eye and so vision is blurred or otherwise diminished. Cataracts can form in the middle of the lens, at the edges or at the back of the lens. It is possible to have all three at once. Living in Queensland increases our chances of developing cataracts due to the high levels of UV light. One of the reasons it’s important to wear sunglasses from an early age.

On the milder end of the spectrum, there are conditions which can subtly decrease quality of life such as:

  • Myopia or Short-sightedness
  • Hyperopia or Long-sightedness
  • Astigmatism (which may lead to blurred vision)
  • Presbyopia or long-sightedness due to old age

If you have any vision concerns or you’re simply overdue for a good eye exam, come in and see about your eye care at Christensen Harbison Optometrists.

How often should I visit?

Children should have their first eye test before starting prep, or earlier if you have any concerns. Until age 60, a visit every two years is fine in general. Over age 60, annual visits are recommended to help identify diseases that are more common to aging eyes. More frequent visits may be necessary throughout your life if there is a family history of eye disease (or conditions that affect vision).