Forty\u00a0may be the new 30 for your eyes, and we\u2019re not talking about what you may be thinking.\u00a0When it comes to the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, many run out and purchase the latest quick-fix anti-aging solution, but unfortunately nobody can find a drugstore night cream to save vision. Failure to take precautions to help preserve eye health and prevent vision loss will cause many to experience declining vision sooner than they ever expected.\u00a0According to the California Optometric Association, it is never too early to start protecting your most precious sense.\u00a0 Vision loss happens gradually and is often imperceptible until it reaches a point of no return. “The first sign many people with undiagnosed macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and other conditions notice is blindness,” said San Diego optometrist Dr. Jennifer Tabibzadeh. “Early detection and intervention can keep your vision young.” The California Optometric Association offers specific tips to help preserve eye health and good vision at all ages: \u00a0 20s and 30s<\/b> Similar to other organs in the body, the eyes are generally healthy for people in their 20s and 30s. The majority of adults in this category can correct their vision problems by wearing corrective lenses, either contact lenses or eyeglasses. At this age, it\u2019s important to start taking proactive steps to protect eyesight and vision in future years, such as: \u2022 Eat foods rich in six nutrients ? antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, essential fatty acids, vitamins C and E and the mineral zinc. Foods rich in these nutrients include broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, green beans, peas, oranges and tangerines. \u2022 Quit smoking to lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts in the future. \u2022 Wear sunglasses during the daytime to protect against harmful UV radiation. \u00a0 40s and 50s<\/b> People often begin to notice vision changes around the age of 40, with a chief complaint being difficulty seeing while reading or doing close work. This condition, called Presbyopia, will continue to progress over time. Other vision changes include difficulty seeing at long distance, problems seeing in low light or at night, sensitivity to light and glare, and increased risk of dry eye for women after menopause. An optometrist will make sure you have a proper prescription while offering suggestions on how to ease other symptoms. \u2022 Be aware of any eye diseases that run in your family and discuss them with your optometrist. \u2022 Don\u2019t settle for drugstore magnifying glasses. Invest in higher-quality reading glasses specifically tailored to your visual needs.\u00a0Isn\u2019t your vision worth it? \u2022 Don\u2019t be embarrassed to discuss your general health with your optometrist.\u00a0 Many medications have ocular side effects, especially those for anxiety, depression, arthritis, high cholesterol and thyroid conditions. \u2022 If you haven\u2019t already committed to an exercise regimen, now is the time to do so to help keep overall health and vision in shape. \u00a0 60s and beyond<\/b> At this age, patients must be vigilant about seeing their optometrist to check for the onset of diseases like macular degeneration and glaucoma. Many of these conditions have no early symptoms and develop painlessly but once they do, the vision loss is irreversible. \u2022 Visit your optometrist at least once a year at this age.\u00a0 Depending on family history and risk factors, the doctor may recommend checkups more than once a year. \u2022 Report all changes in your general health to your optometrist.\u00a0 Don\u2019t accept declining visual acuity as just a part of aging. \u2022 If you value your sight and want to keep it throughout a long life, now is the time to develop good habits and establish a relationship with an optometrist. To find a nearby doctor of optometry, or for additional information on eye health, please visit www.eyehelp.org. \u2014 Phyllis Klein is a spokeswoman for the California Optometric Association (COA). Founded in 1899, COA is California\u2019s oldest recognized organization for optometrists and represents more than 2,700 optometrists in the state.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Forty\u00a0may be the new 30 for your eyes, and we\u2019re not talking about what you may be thinking.\u00a0When it comes to the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, many run out and purchase the latest quick-fix anti-aging solution, but unfortunately nobody can find a drugstore night cream to save vision. Failure […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11560","_seopress_titles_title":"Guest commentary: What\u2019s the real \u2018anti-aging\u2019 for your eyes?","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11560,11593,11552],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-298861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-la-jolla-village-news","category-no-images","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=298861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298861\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=298861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=298861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=298861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}