ELYSIAN Magazine

A Women’s Guide to Caring for Aging Eyes

by Lisa F. Crites

by Amber Edwards
My mother took my three brothers and me to the ear, nose, and throat specialist, yearly, for annual exams, throughout our younger years. Known as an otolaryngologist, or ENT, this specific physician, Dr. Bruce, was duly trained as an ophthalmologist. The only such doctor within a 70-mile radius of my home, we saw him for general eye exams, but he threw in the ear, nose, and throat assessments for free.
I had no vision problems through those early years, nor did I need glasses until college. I was a music major my freshman year, and I believe I strained my eyes while trying to visualize the musical scales on the chalkboard during theory class; along with the numerous hours reading classical music scores in the practice rooms. Since that time, I have needed glasses for slight nearsightedness and astigmatism, while updating my prescription every year or so.
Fast forward, and a few decades later, in my mid-fifties, my eyes changed overnight. I could not see in front of me, nor could I see far away.  Visually, I was having issues seeing the text on my computer screen, and problems simply trying to read a magazine at the gym, so I began taking my ‘readers.’
Last month, I made an appointment for an eye exam, as it had been three years. Yikes!! The doctor quickly stated, “Your eyesight has changed an extreme amount in three years, how in the world have you been able to see with those glasses?”  I said, “Well the immediate answer is, not very well.”
With that, I began thinking about eye health. For those who have read my columns, I’ve discussed everything from mental health, female health, blood donations, calcium for healthy bones, and even breast health, but only until the doctor began mentoring me on “the need to better care for my aging eyes,” did I think about the importance of my eye health.
After extensive communication with the National Eye Institute (NEI), and Chantal Cousineau-Kreiger, MD, I realized the plethora of concerns that exist when it comes to aging eyes in women, from dry eyes and hormone changes to macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and even cancer. Dr. Cousineau-Kreiger relayed a myriad of clinical guidelines tailored specifically for women to maintain good eye health.
The first, which was surprising, was the potential connection between hormones and eye health. As women, we know hormones can affect how we think, act, and feel, but who knew hormones could even play a role in our eye health?
“The eyes have receptors for hormones including androgens, estrogens, and progesterone. There is evidence estrogen use can worsen dry eyes while androgen use can improve it, though further studies are needed,” said Dr. Cousineau-Kreiger.
Dry eye is traditionally much more of a concern for women, than men. Treatment can include over-the-counter lubricating drops or artificial tears and moisturizing ointments, though prescription medication may be needed for more serious problems.
“After the age of forty, we lose our ability to focus up close (presbyopia). The lens inside the eye becomes more rigid which makes it more difficult to focus on near material. The lens can also become less transparent (and cloudy) which normally results in cataracts. Over time, cataracts can make vision blurry, hazy, and less colorful” added Cousineau-Kreiger.
According to the NEI, most ophthalmic diseases do not present with severe, sudden, symptoms. As an example, glaucoma is a painless, irreversible, vision loss and symptoms appear once it is advanced. Cataracts may progress slowly and not be noticed until they cause driving deficits.
For those reasons, women ages 40-64 who are at ‘high risk’ are recommended to have eye exams annually. Risk factors include a family history of eye disease, health conditions that have associated risks to the eyes like diabetes or hypertension, those who wear contacts or have high to progressive refractive error (blurry or fuzzy vision), and those who are taking medications having vision side effects.
Eating a healthy diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables is good for eye health. Foods rich in antioxidants and omega three nutrients like fatty fish and nuts are also beneficial. Food with adequate zinc and copper (oysters, beef, veal, pork, shellfish, and lamb), along with legumes, kale, spinach, and broccoli support retina health.
DO NOT SMOKE!  Avoid applying eye makeup to the inner “wet” part of the eyelid. Ensure make-up is thoroughly removed at the end of each day.
Sunglasses are recommended to help protect against cancers of the surface of the eye. Prolonged exposure to UV rays modifies the eye lenses’ proteins, leading to cataract formation.
According to Dr. Cousineau-Kreiger, “studies indicate prolonged exposure to UV rays without protection also increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, a disease which blurs central vision due to the breakdown of the macula, the area of the eye which controls sharp, straight-ahead vision.”
Further, an aging eye column cannot be complete without discussing night vision driving! As explained by the NEI, night vision can be affected by having a vitamin A deficit. If you struggle, make sure your prescription glasses are up to date, and be seen by an eye care professional to ensure your eyes are healthy, as decreased night vision can be a sign of eye disease.
As the Cleveland Clinic stated, “Our eyes do the physical part of seeing. The signals they send allow your brain to “build” the picture we see. Eye-related symptoms are also key clues to issues affecting your whole body, so experts recommend making eye health an utmost priority.”
Personally, everything is visually clearer these days after a simple eye exam and an updated prescription. And as a bonus, I now have glasses prescribed specifically for computer work.
So, with these ‘aging eyes,’ along with my new computer glasses, I could better see to write this column on the importance of eye health, and the need to manage those ever-changing eyes, as we continue to age.

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