By early adulthood
the human eye is fully developed. However, vision changes
as we age, and lifestyle plays a significant role in maintaining
optimum vision.Wear sunglasses when out of doors.
- Invest in protective eyewear appropriate to any sport
you play.
- Wear appropriate safety glasses while on the job.
- Eat healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Do not smoke … smoking triples the risk of developing
Macular Degeneration.
- Watch your weight and have your physician check regularly
for early signs of Diabetes.
- If you work at a computer take frequent “eye breaks”,
check the angle and distance of your computer screen, check
your workspace for sources of glare. Symptoms of eye and
vision problems linked to extended computer use include
dry, irritated, inflamed or sore eyes, headaches and blurred
vision.
- Schedule regular eye health and vision examinations with
your optometrist.
Statistics (provided by the National
Coalition for Vision Health)
- Number of Canadians developing irreversible vision loss
by age 65: one in nine (equal to the number of women affected
by breast cancer).
- By age 75: one in four.
- In 2001, vision loss accounted for 17% of total disability
in Canada.
- Amount of preventable vision loss in Canada: 75%.
- For people with vision loss, compared to general population
the same age:
- Admission to nursing homes is three years earlier.
- Number of falls is twice as high.
- Incidence of depression is three times as high.
- Occurrence of hip fractures is four times as high.
- Number of deaths is twice as high.
- As a result of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD),
2.1 million Canadians between the ages of 43 - 75
are experiencing blindness or irreversible vision loss.
This is equivalent to the number of Canadians with Diabetes,
and 20 times the number of people with Parkinson’s
Disease.
- Each year 78,000 Canadians are diagnosed with AMD, a number
expected to triple within the next 25 years.
|
