Many eye diseases develop slowly over years. Some don’t cause any symptoms until they’ve already affected your sight, so it helps to understand your personal risk even when your vision seems clear.
Age, sun exposure, family history, chronic health conditions, and daily habits can all raise your risk for eye disease. You can change a few of these with simple habits. Knowing where you stand can also help you and your optometrist decide how often you need an eye exam and whether you’d benefit from closer eye disease monitoring.
1. Age & Eye Disease Risk
Your risk for several eye diseases goes up as you get older. These conditions tend to develop gradually, so changes inside your eye can start well before you notice anything different.
Here are a few conditions that become more common with age:
- Cataracts, which cloud the lens inside your eye and can make colors look faded or lights look hazy
- Glaucoma, which damages the optic nerve and can slowly reduce your side vision
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects your central vision and is a major cause of vision loss in adults over 50
Glaucoma often has no symptoms in its early stages, and early AMD can be easy to miss too. Schedule regular eye exams as you get older so your optometrist can look for early signs of disease and compare your results from one visit to the next. During the exam, your optometrist can check the pressure inside your eye and take a close look at your optic nerve and retina.
2. Sun & UV Exposure
UV rays can harm your eyes over time, much like they harm your skin. Long-term UV exposure is linked to cataracts and AMD, and UV light can still reach your eyes on cloudy days. Water and sand bounce it back toward your face too.
Wear sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays whenever you head outside. Larger frames or a wraparound style can block more light from the sides.
Add a wide-brimmed hat for extra shade, and get your kids into the same habit while they’re young.
3. Family History & Genetics
Your family’s eye health can tell you a lot about your own. Glaucoma can run in families, so if your family has dealt with glaucoma before, you may face a higher risk.
Before your next visit, ask your relatives about their eye health. Bring details like these to your appointment:
- A parent or sibling with glaucoma
- A close relative with macular degeneration
- Diabetes anywhere in your family
- Any relative who lost vision, and roughly how old they were when it started
Your optometrist can use this information to decide which tests to include in your exam.
4. Chronic Health Conditions That Affect Your Eyes
Your overall health can affect your eyes in ways you might not expect. Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in your retina, a condition called diabetic retinopathy. It can also raise your risk of cataracts and glaucoma.
If you’re managing diabetes, plan on a diabetic eye exam every year, or as often as your optometrist recommends. Changes in your retina can show up before you notice any difference in your vision.
High blood pressure can damage those same retinal blood vessels. Most people don’t have symptoms until the damage is advanced, and the risk climbs if you also have diabetes or smoke. Tell your optometrist about any health conditions you’re managing and the medications you take.
5. Daily Lifestyle Habits
What you do day to day can affect your eyes for decades. Smoking raises your risk of cataracts and AMD, and quitting can help lower that risk.
Your diet matters too. Nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc have been linked to a lower risk of AMD and cataracts. You’ll find them in leafy greens, citrus fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Start with a few of these habits:
- Quit smoking, or don’t start
- Add fish like salmon or tuna to your weekly meals
- Stay active most days, even if it’s a short walk
- Keep up with checkups for your blood sugar and blood pressure
- Wear protective eyewear for sports and any home project that involves power tools
Talk to Your Optometrist About Your Risk
Your risk for eye disease comes from a mix of factors, and an eye exam can help you find out which ones apply to you. Your optometrist can look at what’s happening inside your eyes alongside your family history and daily routine, then suggest next steps that fit.
At Total Vision La Mesa, our optometrists look for early signs of eye disease and help you manage the risk factors you can control. Book an appointment today and bring your questions with you.
