Many people have a hard time seeing small print close up as they get older, a condition formally described as presbyopia (or loss of near vision). Typically, women seem to lose near vision sooner than men, and often require reading glasses or bifocal lenses before their male counterparts.
Why this might be has remained a mystery, but now new research published in Ophthalmology & Visual Science[i] sheds some interesting light on the issue …
Women’s Shorter Arm Lengths May Cause Their Eyes to Go “Bad” Sooner
A meta-analysis of nine studies revealed no significant differences between men and women in terms of the eye’s ability to focus on objects close up. This suggested that another factor was to blame for why women tended to need reading glasses sooner.
The culprit? Researchers suggest that women, who generally have shorter arms than men, tend to hold their reading materials closer than men. Over time, this habit may play a role in the eyes’ loss of focusing ability.
It could be that making an effort to hold your reading material farther away might have an impact on your vision in your golden years, although this has yet to be studied. There are, however, several natural ways to restore and maintain your eyesight already backed by scientific research.
6 Natural Ways to Protect Your Vision as You Age
6. Avoid Smoking
Smoking can lead to vision loss by increasing your risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and Dry Eye Syndrome. Heavy smokers have a three times greater risk of developing cataracts, and up to four times the risk of macular degeneration, as non-smokers.[ii]
5. Give Your Eyes a Break
Your eyes are under constant stress, especially if you engage in activities that require intense eye focusing for long periods of time, such as computer work, crossword puzzles and other hobbies. Giving your eyes a break by focusing on something in the distance once every 20 minutes or so will help prevent chronic eyestrain.
Another way to give your eyes a “break” is to wear UVA- and UVB-blocking sunglasses, which protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Over time, sun exposure to your eyes may increase your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and eye cancer.
4. Watch Your Weight
One reason why exercising and eating plenty of fruits and veggies are important (see below) is to help you maintain a healthy weight, which in turn helps protect your vision. In fact, obesity is a known risk factor for cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and other vision problems.
3. Exercise
Staying active is about much more than weight loss… it can also lead to significant improvements in your vision health, including helping to lower your risk of glaucoma, cataracts, retinal artery and retinal vein occlusions and macular degeneration.[iii]
2. Increase Your Intake of Omega-3 Fats and Alpha Lipoic Acid
Omega-3 fats, healthful fatty acids found in fish and fish oils, may help to stop abnormal blood vessel growth that causes retinopathies, which are among the leading causes of blindness.[iv] Alpha lipoic acid also supports vision health by fighting off retinal disorders and eye diseases including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
1. Eat Plenty of Antioxidants
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to fight against free radical damage that can harm your eye’s retina and lens. Specifically, anthocyanins in berries may help improve blood flow to the eyes and protect the retina in people with diabetes. Selenium, which is available in high levels in Brazil nuts, may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, a leading cause of age-related vision loss. Lutein and zeaxanthin (found in egg yolks and leafy greens) are two additional eye-health superstars known to reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Supplements containing antioxidants have also been found to improve vision, with the following antioxidants and minerals helping to reduce the risk of macular degeneration while also reducing vision loss by 19 percent:[v]
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Beta-carotene
- Zinc
- Copper
A One-Two Punch for Vision Health: 13 Eye-Saving Nutrients PLUS Vision Relaxation
By 2030, the number of blind and visually impaired people is expected to double.[vi] If you want to avoid becoming one of these statistics, it’s crucial to take action now to protect your vision.
Eye Health Essentials® is a potent vision-saving supplement that works by feeding your eyes the nutrients they need for genuine eye health and vision support. This includes 13 powerful, scientifically-proven nutrients to help nourish your eyes, including:
- Selenium
- Zinc
- Vitamins A, C and E
- Copper
- Alpha Lipoic Acid
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
- … and more!
Each of these nutrients is included at the maximum dose you need to strengthen your vision so you can…
- Prevent age-related vision problems — and ward off cataracts… glaucoma… and macular degeneration — common to older folks
- Improve your night vision — and feel at ease behind the wheel once again!
- Shield your eyes from harmful UV rays — nature’s “internal sunglasses” block eye-killing sunlight!
- Prevent free radicals from attacking your macula — and protect the area of your retina that helps you read fine print!
- Boost circulation of healthy blood flow for optimal eye health — and keep blood vessels — even the smallest capillaries in your eyes — supple and full of elasticity
- And enjoy DECADES of sharp, clear vision — well into your 90s and beyond!
But that’s not all… the second part of the Eye Health Essentials® kit contains the See Your Way Clearly audio CD to help you relax your eyes, getting a break from the constant stress they’re under and helping you improve your focus, eliminate eyestrain and ease eye fatigue in just 30 minutes a day.
When used together, you’ll nourish your eyes and relax the overworked muscles in your eyes (and your body) — so you can experience healthy vision once again! You’ll likely notice improvements in your vision within three months. And within six months, you may visit the eye doctor only to discover that your prescription has stayed the same — or actually improved.
Please don’t wait for your vision to “go bad” before taking action to protect this priceless aspect of your health… take action now, risk-free, to restore your vision to ‘near perfect’ — the way you remember it being in your 20s and 30s.
Click Here to Learn More About Eye Health Essentials®
Very interesting that the arms length could affect cause your eyesight to go bad sooner. Apart from that, the genes also play a big part too. This is also the first time that I heard about the Eye Health essentials. If this works as well as you said, then I should definitely get one for me.
Great article. I’ve been a diabetic since 1986 and it was inherited in my genes. I stay slim, diet right, get lots of sleep and exercise. I’ve had an operation including a new lense however; with wet macular generation there is no cure and only treatment to delay onset of blindness. I get injections into my retina once a month
and they are very expensive and the Alberta Government only pays a portion. In addition I take 20/20 vision supplements everyday and they are very helpful. Treatment is ongoing for this old senior and I may end up as a 100 year old blind guy. Life is what we make it and one must carry on.