The Importance of Eye Care for Older Adults

Eyesight is one of the most important of the five senses. In fact, according to the Medical Eye Center, “80% of what we perceive comes through our sense of sight.” Keeping this in mind, we can draw the conclusion that maintaining eye health and protecting our eyesight is important when considering overall wellness. By protecting your eyes, you’ll reduce the possibility of eye-related diseases and vision loss. Keep reading for a few ways you can take care of your eyes.

5 Ways to Care for Your Eyes

1. Maintain regular eye exams. While yearly eye exams are encouraged for people of all ages, they are especially essential once you are 65 and older. This way you are able to treat and prevent age-related eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.
2. Eat a healthy diet. Your diet impacts a variety of your body’s functions, including your eyesight. Your diet should be heavily focused on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grain and low-fat dairy. For eyesight particularly, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna, can also help your eyes.
3. Exercise regularly. Believe it or not, exercise even helps your eye health! Exercise may help control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, all diseases that can lead to eye or vision problems.
4. Wear protective eyewear. Whether you’re spending time in the sun or working on repair projects, protective eyewear can help prevent damage to your eyes. Sun exposure can damage your eyes and raise your risk of certain eye diseases, such as cataracts. To prevent eye injuries, you need eye protection when playing certain sports or doing repairs or projects in your home.
5. Know your family’s medical history. There are many eye diseases, including glaucoma and macular degeneration, that can be associated with genetic factors. Knowing your family’s medical history helps you understand your risk of these diseases.

Discover Opportunities to Improve Your Wellness at Monroe Village

At Monroe Village, our community offers numerous resources that you can use to maintain your overall wellness and happiness. These offerings are all possible through LivWell, our holistic wellness program. LivWell is engrained in everything we do at the community, from the types of daily activities offered to the nutritious, delicious dining options.

The best part about LivWell is that everything is entirely up to you. While our team is here to offer you guidance as to what activities and amenities may be beneficial to help you reach your wellness goal, it is your choice when it comes to your participation. Wellness is a journey, not a destination, and we are proud to offer opportunities throughout our community to help you along the way.

For questions about LivWell or becoming a resident of Monroe Village, feel free to contact us. Or schedule a tour, either in-person or virtually.