September is the American Optometric Association's Healthy Aging Month!
At Punzal Vision we serve patients of all ages from keiki to kupuna, and our team is here to make sure that you are supported in caring for and protecting your eyes, no matter your age!
As we grow older, it is natural to see common issues or occurrences happening in the eyes.
The best thing to do is to see your optometrist, early and often, to prevent the development of any eye related issues and to ensure that your health and eyesight are supported as you grow older!
Here are a few eye related issues, common injuries, and daily practices to be aware of when it comes to protecting your eyes and keeping them healthy in your later years!
Low vision is a type of vision loss that generally occurs due to eye disease or injury as opposed to a more gradual loss of eyesight that can happen naturally with aging.
Low vision symptoms can appear as loss of the central or peripheral vision in the eyes. You may also experience blurred vision in well lit environments and even night blindness, or the inability to see at all in low light.
Low vision can lead to difficulty in common daily tasks such as recognizing familiar faces, reading, driving or even tasks such as shopping for groceries.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to get your eyes checked by a professional to discover the root cause of the problem and offer any support or treatment that may be available.
Eye injuries become more and more common as we grow older and our reaction times begin to slow down.
Around half of the injuries that occur to the eyes happen in the home!
So, it is important that when opening packaging, using sharp tools, or working on anything that could result in eye injury, we take the proper precautions in protecting the eyes!
Be mindful, move slowly, and always think ahead if you are doing something at home that may be the cause of an injury.
If you are working with power tools, or anything that can cause unwanted dust, splinters or projectiles to damage or cause abrasions to the eyes, remember to always wear your safety glasses!
General health and fitness is a key component of keeping the eyes healthy, as you grow older!
Remember to keep your body moving every day, in order to promote blood circulation and oxygen intake to support the overall health of your body and especially your eyes!
There’s nothing better than going for a walk in the sun, or spending time outdoors!
However, always remember to wear protective eyewear to block any harmful UV rays while you are getting in your daily exercise!
The eyes are the window to the soul and the navigation system that the body uses to make its way through the world.
So, keep your eyes protected, and your system healthy and fit, to best support one of the most vital organs in your body!
It’s easy to forget how important a good night's rest is, not only for your overall health and energy levels, but also for the eyes!
When we get proper rest, and a good night's sleep, it gives our eyes the time to reset, keeps our eyes lubricated, and naturally processes and clears out any dust, allergens, and irritants that may have accumulated during the day.
A healthy sleep rhythm also gives our eyes the chance to begin to recognize and adapt to the natural patterns of waking and sleeping along with the rhythms of our environment.
Staying up late on the computer, phone, or while watching TV can not only damage the eyes by over exposure to blue light, but also cause dryness, irritation and disruption of your sleep and wake cycle.
So, remember to wear blue light glasses when using screens after dark, and try to give your eyes a break from screen time for at least an hour before going to bed.
Growing older is a blessing, and the better that we take care of ourselves, the more enjoyable and sustainable that process can be!
If you are experiencing any issues such as low vision, dryness or redness of the eyes, difficulty seeing things that you use to be able to see clearly, then it’s time to see your optometrist for an annual visit to check on your eyes!
The friendly and professional staff at Punzal Vision would love to assist you in all of your eye care and eyewear needs, and we will get you Scheduled for an appointment as soon as possible!
Give us a Call at (808) 278-8383 or click the link below to Schedule An Appointment online!
We hope to SEE you soon!
