Insights from The Orlando Senior Help Desk: Keeping your Eyes Healthy

Aging is a process that brings many changes. There are several simple steps you can take to keep your eyes healthy during your lifetime.

Visiting an eye care professional regularly for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of vision loss as you age.

A comprehensive dilated eye exam is different from the basic eye exam or screening you have for glasses or contacts. By dilating the pupils and examining the back of the eyes, your doctor can detect eye diseases in their early stages, before vision loss occurs. They can check for:

• Age-related macular degeneration, which gradually destroys the macula, the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision.

• Cataract, a clouding of the lens in the eye.

• Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that damages blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

• Glaucoma, a group of diseases that can cause fluid and pressure to build up in the eye and damage the optic nerve.    

Early diagnosis and treatment are the best ways to prevent vision loss. In addition to making eye exams part of your routine health care, these tips will help you maintain healthy vision.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet — Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens. Eat fish, high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk for diabetes. Diabetes complications, such as diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma, can eventually lead to vision loss.

Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk for age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and other eye diseases that may damage the optic nerve.

Wear sunglasses and a brimmed hat when outdoors. Protecting your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays when you are outdoors is vital for your eye health.

While most seniors face major adjustments when transitioning to an elder-care community, Jewish seniors face additional challenges. Not only do they lose their homes, and many of their friends, but they also lose ties to their cultural heritage. This is where the Jewish Pavilion, a 501c3 non-profit, steps in. The Pavilion serves as a resource that provides room visits, festive holiday celebrations, and more to 450 Jewish residents in 50 facilities for seniors. The Jewish Pavilion promotes inclusion, and thousands of seniors of all faiths are welcomed into our programs. http://www.JewishPavilion.org

The Orlando Senior Help Desk at the Jewish Pavilion (407-678-9363) helps thousands of callers navigate their way through the daunting senior maze, alleviating caregiver stress while giving advice on all types of elder issues. http://www.OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org.