Visit the eye doctor


Needing reading glasses is the most annoying sign that says ‘yes you really are aging,’” says Ruth D. Williams, Clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “It’s the first irreversible sign of aging, while others—like weight gain—you can go to the gym to get rid of.” Age-related eye care starts with a baseline eye exam, usually done at age 40, and serves as an important first step because many signs of eye disease are subtle. “Glaucoma is one disease that can develop before the patient realizes it,” says Williams. Other diseases that crop up with age include early cataracts, decreased vision, trouble seeing when driving at night, eye pain, redness, and flashes and floaters in the eye. These are all signs that should prompt a visit to the eye doctor. “A sudden appearance of flashes and floaters can indicate retinal detachment, while trouble with driving at night can be an early indication of cataracts,” says Williams.

When it comes to caring for your eyes, the advice is similar to caring for the rest of our health—stop smoking, avoid second-hand smoke, and wear sunglasses that offer 100 percent protection from UV rays. “The bigger the sunglasses, the better,” says Williams. “Protection from the sun helps prevent macular degeneration and cataracts, and wearing big sunglasses also protects the fine skin around the eyes, reducing your chance of getting wrinkles.” Eating colorful fruits and vegetables is also a must for eye health. “Research has shown that eating leafy greens slows the development of glaucoma and decreases the risk of macular degeneration,” says Williams. “I believe the data so much that I put leafy greens in everything I eat.”