The aging process of the eyes leaves serious impacts on the daily life and mental well-being of individuals.
What Causes Aging?
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(Image: TTO) |
The mechanism of aging is akin to oxidation reactions in cells, similar to how iron oxidizes and rusts. Oxidation reactions destroy cell membranes, affecting the body’s components. Metabolism within cells and the impact of harmful environmental factors such as chemicals, dust, pollution, and ultraviolet rays from sunlight generate free radicals within the cells.
These free radicals are highly reactive, quickly damaging the genetic material of the cell (DNA, RNA) and causing disruptions in the physiological functions of the cells, leading to aging, loss of functionality, and cell deterioration.
The Eye Aging Process
The eye functions similarly to a camera, with the retina acting like film; however, all points on the film have the same resolution. In contrast, in the retina, the macula is the area with high resolution, allowing for detailed vision, while the remaining retina has lower resolution, providing a broader view for overall perception of surroundings.
The Macula
It helps in seeing fine details. Under normal conditions, blood supplies nutrients and absorbs waste produced by the macula. These specific nutrients are not produced by the body and must be obtained externally.
With aging, blood flow to the macula decreases, nutrient absorption becomes hindered, and the concentration of nutrients reaching the macula further diminishes if the diet is inadequate, resulting in increased waste accumulation. The macula becomes poorly nourished, leading to blurred vision and potential central vision loss, known as macular degeneration, which typically occurs in older adults. The disease manifests with three symptoms:
– Blurred vision, leading patients to believe their glasses are no longer suitable.
– A blurred area in the center, or inability to see all the letters of a word.
– Distorted images.
The Lens
It serves as a converging lens to focus images onto the retina. The lens (crystalline lens) of older adults becomes stiff and cannot bulge to perform accommodation for near vision, resulting in presbyopia. Over time, the lens loses transparency and becomes cloudy, leading to cataracts. This condition affects 50% of older adults; initially, distant vision becomes blurry while near vision remains clear, but eventually, near vision also becomes blurry, and even raising a hand in front of the eyes only reveals a shadow.
The Trabecular Meshwork – Sclera
The Schlemm’s canal can also become fibrotic, leading to increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma). In acute glaucoma, patients experience severe eye pain, intense headaches, redness, blurred vision, and may see colored halos, sometimes accompanied by vomiting. In chronic cases, there is no pain, but vision gradually declines, and the visual field narrows; an eye examination reveals elevated intraocular pressure. Immediate treatment is necessary upon onset, as damage to the visual field from glaucoma in older adults cannot be reversed.
Causes of Eye Aging
Over time, eye aging is inevitable, but this process accelerates with risk factors such as:
– Deficiency of essential nutrients supplied by blood vessels, such as vitamins A, C, E, and trace elements like copper and zinc.
– Excessive eye strain: using computers, reading books, watching TV…
– Environmental pollution from dust, smoke, chemicals, and excessive sun exposure.
– Poor diet: low in vegetables, fruits, and fish.
– Smoking.
Preventive Measures
The speed of aging depends on the level of care individuals take from a young age, through the following methods:
Protect your eyes from sunlight by wearing sunglasses with UV protection and avoid going outside during peak sun hours: from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Proper eye care: Do not read too closely (for adults, maintain a distance of 30-35 cm; for children, 25-30 cm), and avoid reading while in moving vehicles. When working in front of a computer screen or playing games, take a 5-10 minute break every 50 minutes.
Do not smoke, as smoking weakens the body’s circulatory system, reducing blood flow to the eyes.
A balanced diet and regular exercise will improve overall health and enhance circulation.
Use supplements containing essential nutrients for the eyes, such as extracts from natural shark cartilage, trace elements (copper, zinc), and vitamins A, C, E, and beta-carotene. Natural shark cartilage extracts have the ability to neutralize free radicals in cells, thus preventing oxidative damage and slowing the aging process of the eyes, helping to avoid age-related diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal degeneration, thereby reducing the risk of vision loss or permanent blindness.
It is also important to note that oral medications are absorbed into the bloodstream and circulate to nourish the eye more effectively than eye drops, which only contact the conjunctiva, cornea, and the front of the eyeball.
