As you age, your eyes become more prone to developing eye conditions or serious eye diseases, such as cataract (the clouding of vision), age-related macular degeneration (loss of central vision) and glaucoma (vision loss due to abnormally high eye pressure).
While you can’t stop aging, you can keep your eyes healthy by following these five tips:
1. Get checked
Most serious eye problems do not have early symptoms. If you are aged 40 and above, or have been wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses regularly for a long time, or have a family history of any eye disease, hypertension and diabetes, see your ophthalmologist yearly.
2. Eat right
Aside from carrots, did you know that leafy greens, citrus fruits and nuts can help maintain healthy vision too? They are great sources of lutein, antioxidants, zeaxanthin and vitamins C and E that can protect against the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Food rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna, can also help treat dry eyes.
3. Wear sunglasses
Studies show that prolonged exposure to UV rays can lead to retinal problems and cataracts and can cause wrinkles and cancer around the eye. Make sure your eyewear blocks 99% to 100% UVA and UVB rays.
4. Avoid computer eyestrain
When we focus too much on the screen of a smartphone, tablet or computer, we don’t blink very much. This can lead to eyestrain and dry eyes. Dry eyes causes a burning or itchy sensation in the eye, eye irritation, eye redness and excessive tearing. If you can’t help using your gadgets, remember the 20-20-20 rule! Look away from the gadget every 20 minutes, and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to relax your eyes.
5. Quit smoking
Smoking is harmful for your eyes. It increases free radicals and reduces the circulation and flow of oxygen and nutrients to the eyes, doubling or tripling the risk of developing an eye disease. Smoking is also known as an eye irritant that causes dry eyes.
Don’t take your eyes for granted! Asian Eye Institute offers comprehensive eye checkups to detect eye problems early and recommend proper treatment. Asian Eye is located at Phinma Plaza in Rockwell Center, Makati, with satellite clinics in TriNoma, U.P. Town Center, Mall of Asia and CommerCenter Alabang. For inquries, you may call 898-2020 or email eyehelp@asianeyeinstitute.com
For the fourth time, Asian Eye Institute was hailed as the Most Trusted Eye Center in the recent Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brand Awards. It received the Gold Award in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
“Preserving and restoring vision has always been the core mission of Asian Eye. We are happy to have the trust and confidence of our patients after all these years. In fact, we have been undergoing service and facility expansions to make quality eye care more accessible to all,” says Asian Eye Vice President and General Manager Mr. Alwin Sta. Rosa.
Asian Eye provides specialized medical services that include the treatment and management of cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, uveitis, strabismus, cornea and external diseases; LASIK; eye plastic surgery; pediatric ophthalmology and optometry; low vision and visual rehabilitation; optical dispensary and contact lens services.
To continue the fight against preventable blindness, Asian Eye engages in research to discover new treatments and drugs, or new applications for commercialized drugs to improve vision. It also introduces innovative services like EyeScan, a pre-screening service that can detect risks of potentially blinding eye diseases, including cataract, glaucoma and retinal and corneal diseases.
At present, Asian Eye has five clinics located in Rockwell Center, Makati; TriNoma, Mall of Asia, Commercenter Alabang and UP Town Center. It also launched EyeSite, a clinic brand located inside Ayala Fairview Terraces and St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center, Batangas, to providethe broader market with expert eye care at affordable rates. With seven clinics and still growing, Asian Eye is the largest ambulatory eye institute in the Philippines.
