While experts agree that some vision changes can be a normal sign of aging, there’s realistically no reason why we should require aids like glasses once we get past a certain age. Unfortunately, the fact that this is a reality many of us find ourselves facing only secures the false belief that age = sight loss. Yet, if you’re one of those people whose perfect vision is fading at what feels like a fast rate, then it’s just possible there’s more to the problem than meets the eye.
Dr. Kerry Gelb
Of course, seeking regular checkups from eyesight professionals is the best possible way to get to the bottom of things once and for all. However, if you’ve simply been putting up with your deteriorating sight under the assumption that it’s normal, you might want to consider the following surprising reasons that could be behind your sudden sight struggles.
Questionable dietary choices
Despite understanding the importance of a health diet, few of us realize that eye health, too, can be determined by dietary choices. In particular, fatty diets and poor heart health can lead to damage across the capillaries that provide our retinas with what they need to function. Foods that experts especially believe to contribute to vision deteriorations include –
- Fatty meats
- Margarine
- Junk foods
- Etc.
By comparison, notably improved eye health is possible thanks to the consumption of so-called ‘eye healthy’ foods, including raw red peppers, sunflower seeds, and dark, leafy greens, each of which provides the calcium, vitamins, and nutrients necessary for optimum vision even at a healthy age.
Underlying issues
Deteriorating eyesight, especially if that deterioration happens quickly, can also be a telltale sign of a range of sometimes serious bodily issues including, in extreme cases, problems like cancer. Equally, experts like John A Macoviak highlight links between vision loss and escalating issues such as hypertension. Poorly managed diabetes can also contribute to vision loss in certain instances. As such, far from ignoring the warning signs, it’s crucial to listen to what could be your body’s only way to let you know what’s truly going on below the surface.
Lifestyle choices
Sometimes in modern life, it’s also important to remember that vision loss can result due to our lifestyles themselves. In particular, office workers who spend extended periods at their computers without taking breaks can see eye health deteriorating faster than, say, those who work outside. Equally, certain medications including those used to treat conditions such as acne, depression, and insomnia can all be harmful to eye health in some instances. While these situations aren’t always something that you can change, slight alterations to your routine, or even simply a return to your healthcare provider, can still help to offset significant, irreversible damage if you pay attention as soon as symptoms arise.
Eye health is too often something we treat as a separate or even unimportant issue, but trust us when we say that there could well be more to this problem than you can see at a first glance.
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