Ageing is a pretty well-known, irreversible and permanent part of our lives. And with that come ongoing changes in our bodies, which include our eyes. Vision problems become increasingly common after the age of 40, affecting our everyday activities and overall quality of life. Which is why it’s important to understand and address these issues early on, to minimize or rather slow down the deterioration over time. Let’s find out.
The Need for More Light
Over the years, our eyes tend to become less receptive to light due to a plethora of causes. Be it pupil size reduction, lens thickening and yellowing or reduced retina sensitivity, our eyes need brighter, more adequate lighting as we age. The solution — well-lit surroundings. Maximise natural light, use brighter bulbs/lights, maintain soothing ambient lighting instead of stark contrasts, and take regular breaks when working under artificial light.
Difficulty Reading
Reading is a fundamental function of our eyes, our most basic and essential form of entertainment. And like all things, our ability to read effortlessly diminishes with age. The causes include conditions like hyperopia or the gradual loss of focus in our corneas. While reading glasses with bifocals were a quick fix in the past, progressive lenses offer seamless viewing across all distances. In addition, you can always maintain proper lighting, glare reduction, a healthy diet, proper reading posture, and of course regular and sufficient breaks between your reading sessions.
Sensitivity to Glare
As we age, the propensity for light to get focused on our retina decreases due to a multitude of factors. Apart from natural ageing, conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma etc. can make it harder to handle bright lights, increasing glare sensitivity. The easiest way to help this problem would be to wear anti-glare eyeglasses and polarized sunglasses. They can drastically reduce the amount of glare and the discomfort it causes, contributing to improved vision and clarity. Other practical solutions include soft diffused lighting, focused lighting depending on the task you’re at, and anti-reflective coatings or shades across your home and car windows.
