Healthy eyes until old age is everyone’s dream, but with the increase of age there will be a risk of decreased vision function. Thus it is important to know how to maintain eye health in the elderly. As the age increases, the function of vision will decrease. There are various ways to maintain eye health in the elderly with nutritious and healthy foods that are very helpful in improving eye health in the elderly.
“The function of the eye is as an organ of vision so it is a must to take care of it so that it does not have problems. Especially for the elderly, eyes must be treated regularly and we should not wait until a problem occurs to start treating it well. In old age, inevitably there are changes in the eye organs that will be different from when we are relatively younger,” said dr. Puspita Kusuma Dewi, M.Si.Med., Sp.M, Ophthalmologist of Diponegoro National Hospital (RSND) of Diponegoro University.
dr. Puspita said that the structure of eyes of the elderly changed in function, for example cataracts, symptoms of irritation in the eyes, eyelids became more droopy, and red eyes with tears came out a lot. Our eyeballs can experience instability of eye moisturizer so that the eyes are drier and have decreased sharpness. These eye problems need special handling.
“For the first eye care, we must maintain its function as much as possible, by doing a good lifestyle; using the eyes in optimal conditions; keeping the eyes at a good distance while watching something, not too close and not too far away; eating healthy foods; exercising; and having enough rest. We have to maintain this healthy lifestyle since we were young and continue to maintain it until old age so that the vision function becomes good, don’t forget to always be happy and optimistic,” she said.
“All vitamins are good for the eyes, not necessarily vitamin A. Vitamin D or E can also be consumed for eye health, and also supported by a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods, fruits and vegetables,” continued dr. Puspita.
“If there are eye complaints, I suggest not to do self-medication, it is better to consult an ophthalmologist to provide more appropriate therapy. If there are no complaints, it is a good idea to check at least once a year to ensure the condition of our eyes. We cannot avoid aging, but if there are changes in our eyes, we can still adjust and maintain them as best as possible, for example by wearing glasses or taking medicines so that even though we are aging, our eyes will still function optimally,” she concluded. (Lin – Public Relations)
