Facts about eyes

We also become more sensitive to glare, which can be a nuisance when driving at night. Some people benefit from special anti-glare spectacles for night-driving.

Bright sunshine and ultraviolet light produce a haze over older eyes known as fluorescence. A peaked hat or yellowish sunglasses reduce the haze, which is no doubt why, without even being told, many elderly people favour caps and other headgear. 

Keeping eyes bright

• Lighting is important at any age, but normal healthy eyes at the age of 40 or 50 need twice as much illumination as they do at 20, and three times as much at 60. Use an adjustable light for close work.

• VDU screens can be hard on the eyes. Take 10-I5 minute breaks every hour, blink often to disinfect and lubricate, and every now and then look away from the screen into the distance, or even a blank wall.

• Soothe tired eyes with cool, damp teabags or a slice of cucumber on each closed eye. Leave them in place and relax for 10 minutes.

• Or try this ‘palming’ exercise: sit up straight, removing glasses. Rest elbows on table and keep back straight. Place palms over eyeballs, resting heel of hands on cheekbones, with fingers crossing over each other on forehead. Then visualise something soothing and calming like the sea or a mountain against a blue sky, concentrating for up to 5 minutes.

• Spots and specks that float across the field of vision are usually normal and harmless. If the spots change suddenly or they are accompanied by flashing lights, get an eye check.

• Dry eyes can result in itching or reduced vision, and need a check. Special eyedrop solutions can correct the problem. A reduction in tear flow is normal with age, but not the dryness.

• Excessive watering is usually nothing more than increased sensitivity to light, wind and temperature change. Sunglasses with protective lenses will often solve the problem. Excessive watering can be due to loss of elasticity in the lower eye lid. Wipe sideways, not down to avoid stretching the delicate tissue. If watering is excessive, it could be a sign of a blocked tear duct or eye infection.

• Cataracts are cloudy areas of the eye which obscure vision. They are common in people aged over 70, and can lead to blindness. Modern surgery, often requiring only a local anaesthetic, can correct the problem in at least 90% of cases.

• What you eat may determine whether or not you develop cataracts — and it’s those antioxidants that count. Studies from Canada and America demonstrate a low intake of vitamin C and beta carotene in cataract patients. Other protective nutrients noted in studies are B2 (riboflavin), vitamin A, zinc oxide, vitamin E, selenium. Recent studies suggest a supplement called lutein can help.  Aspirin may also offer protection, a phenomenon noticed in arthritis sufferers who take aspirin as a painkiller and do not develop cataracts.

• Diarrhoea and cataracts are linked, especially in developing countries. The reason seems to be that the kidneys become less efficient at removing the harmful waste products of digestion, and the toxins build up and damage the eye.

• Glaucoma occurs when there is too much fluid pressure in the eye which can in time destroy vision. Long-term steroid treatment increases the risk of the condition. Early diagnosis and treatment can control symptoms, but regular checks for anyone with a family history of glaucoma are needed as there’s usually no pain at the outset.

• Screening every two years is advisable from about the age of 45 in order to pick up serious eye problems early and check that glasses are still suitable.

Age-related macular degeneration is one of the commonest causes of blindness in the western world. The macular is the part of the retina responsible for sharp focusing, and it can stop functioning efficiently with age. Signs are blurring of reading vision and deterioration of the central part of vision, but not the side or peripheral vision. Laser treatment may help if the condition is detected early. 

• Wear good quality sunglasses with lenses that block 99-100% of both UVA radiation, which penetrates deeper into the eye, and UVB radiation which tends to damage the cornea and lens. Wrap-around glasses also block light from the side. 

•  Avoid the sun between 10am and 3pm as this is when UV light is the strongest. 

• Wear a brimmed hat or cap as this can cut UV radiation entering the eye by almost a half. 

• Again, antioxidants can offer protection according to some studies. Up your intake of leafy green vegetables such as spinach or take a lutein supplement. (See www.gnc.co.uk for information of lutein.)  

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