Is Your Eyesight Getting Worse?

Yes, too much screen time can make your eyes tired and dry and give you headaches. But there’s no proof it leads to permanent damage. Even so, it’s a good idea to take a break every so often. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take your eyes off the screen. Focus on an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

You may not notice your vision is worse until the damage is done. Serious eye diseases that come with age, like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, often start in middle age. Get an eye exam every 1 to 2 years. That’s the best way to find vision problems and get them treated as early as possible.

Your eye adjusts to account for light and distance. Most of us will find it hard to focus on objects close up by the time we hit our early 40s. Reading glasses, no matter where you buy them, won’t make that worse.

There’s no reason a 3-D movie or video game should hurt your vision.  You might get headaches or motion sickness while you watch or play. But those symptoms could signal an existing problem, like poor depth perception. 

Most people do see some instances of halo off of bright lights. But if what you see is significant glare, which may be accompanied by halo, go see your eye doctor. The shape of your cornea could be off. That’s normal, and your eye doctor should be able to fix it with a tweak to your prescription. 

But glare and halos can also signal more serious eye problems like cataracts where your vision gets cloudy or glaucoma where pressure builds up in your eye and can cause blindness.

As you get older, the gel inside your eye clumps up. You’ll start to notice little black squiggles that bounce around in your field of vision. Usually they’re nothing to worry about.

But if suddenly you notice a lot more of them, your vision quickly gets worse, or you see flashes of light, call the eye doctor. Your retina could be torn or detached from the back of your eye.

Shades are more than a fashion statement. Bright sunlight can up your odds of eye problems like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Looking directly at the sun can cause permanent damage to your retinas.

So how do you choose a good pair? Lens color doesn’t matter. Look for sunglasses that block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. Choose lenses that wrap around to your temples. They block more light.

If you smoked when you were young, you’re more likely to get cataracts when you’re older. It can also worsen the symptoms of other eye conditions such as macular degeneration and other diseases. Ask your doctor to help you kick the habit for good. 

A blank spot right in the center of your vision isn’t normal. It may be caused by age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of vision loss in older adults. Another possible explanation is that there may be circulation issues that need to be addressed. Either way, you'll want to diagnose and treat it early. So call the eye doctor ASAP.

A tender, red bump on the edge of your eyelid could be a stye or a clogged gland called a chalazion. Use a clean, warm compress three to five times a day. It should drain on its own. Don't squeeze or try to "pop" it. See a doctor if it doesn't get better.

A twitch is annoying, but should go away on its own. See your doctor if it lasts longer than a week.

You can’t control genetics and aging. So yeah, you may need reading glasses or have a trouble when you try to drive at night. But you can   do things to stave off other problems:

• Eat well.
• Don’t smoke.
• Protect your eyes from sunlight.
• Get regular eye checkups.