Adult Eye Health: 19 to 60 Years of Age

The following foods and nutrients have been shown to help maintain eye health and function, protect your eyes against harmful light, and reduce the development of age-related degenerative diseases:

• Carrots
• Red peppers
• Sunflower seeds and nuts
• Dark, leafy greens (kale, spinach)
• Sweet potatoes
• Lean meat and poultry
• Beans and legumes
• Eggs
• Squash
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Salmon, tuna, and halibut (fish high in omega-3 fatty acids)

Specific vitamins that may help you optimize your eye health include:

• Vitamin A
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin
• Gamma-Linolenic Acid
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Zinc

Before taking any vitamin or supplement, or before increasing your vitamin dosage, it’s important to consult with your doctor and optometrist. Your health care providers will be able to assess your eye and overall health and determine safe and beneficial dosages for you to consume.

From driving, traveling, working, exercising, playing sports, working in the yard or with power tools, or spending time on your favorite hobby, your eyes need protection through it all.

To give them the support and protection they deserve, specialty eyewear – eyeglasses designed for specific tasks that help you see clearly no matter what you’re doing – is exceedingly important.

Depending on what you’re doing, your eyes may need:

• Computer/blue light blocking glasses
• Work and hobby eyewear
• Safety glasses
• Driving glasses
• Sports eyewear
• Sunglasses

Specialty eyewear can be made with prescription or nonprescription lenses, so your eyes will continue to receive what they need to deliver clear vision.

Learn more about specialty eyewear or come see us so we can help you find the right specialty eyeglasses for different the occasion(s) in your life:

Specialty Eyewear

Schedule Healthy Eye Exam

From 19-60 years of age, age-related vision changes continue to become reality for any adult. To ensure your vision remains comfortable and your eyes continue to support your needs, follow these everyday adult eye care tips:

Get to know your family’s eye health history.

By understanding if anyone in your family has been diagnosed with a disease or vision condition, you can determine if you’re at a higher risk for developing an eye disease or hereditary condition.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

One of the most important things you can do once you know your family’s eye health history is to get a comprehensive eye exam. A comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to determine how healthy your eyes are and if you’re contending with a vision issue – no matter how big or small. Even if you don’t suspect a vision issue, there could be a problem in its early stages, such as an age-related vision change or a certain eye disease.

Wear appropriate protective eyewear for any activity you’re doing.

Whether you’re working in the yard, playing a sport, cycling, or any number of there hobbies or activities – including cleaning around the house with chemicals or working on the job – be sure to wear protective eyewear, like safety glasses or goggles, safety shields, or eye guards. Safety eyewear will protect your eyes in the event of an accident or injury.

Quit smoking.

Simply put, smoking is bad for your body and equally as bad for your eyes. Smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, optic nerve damage, and other diseases that lead to blindness.

Wear sunglasses.

Sunglasses are crucial to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Be sure to wear ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

Rest your eyes.

Reading, computer work and other activities that force your eyes to focus for long periods of time can quickly force them to become fatigued and strained. Give your eyes a rest every 20 minutes by looking away from your task; Look about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds (the 20-20-20 rule).

Properly wash your hands and your contact lenses.

As a common sense rule, good hygiene habits and ensuring your contact lenses are disinfected appropriately will help you avoid certain eye issues and infection.

Consider blue light glasses and other protective blue light settings.

Phones, computers, TVs, video game screens and other electronic devices expose our eyes to harmful, high energy blue light. Wearing blue light blocking glasses and/or setting your devices to a night setting (to make the screen yellow and remove blue light) can significantly help your eyes and reduce the risk of digital eye strain/computer vision syndrome.

Eat right.

Certain foods can help your eyes remain healthy. Check out the list in the section titled Food for Eye Health below.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Obesity increases your risk of developing diabetes and other conditions that can lead to diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. Ultimately, these conditions can lead to vision loss. Talk with your doctor to devise a plan on how you can safely work toward a healthy weight.