While it isn’t common, it is possible for sight to improve for a number of reasons, such as:
- Second sight, a precursor to cataracts
- Blood sugar level control in people with existing diabetes
- Maintaining general health and diet
It is also possible to slow the deterioration of your eyes by taking proper care of them and protecting them from accidents and the sun. Talk to an eye care professional to uncover eye health risks and customize your plan for keeping your eyes healthy as long as you can.
What Is Second Sight?
Second sight is an uncommon phenomenon where your eyesight can appear to get better as a precursor to cataracts. In the beginning stages of cataracts, often before any other noticeable symptom, eyesight can get better as the part of the eye that will form the cataract hardens and begins to change. These changes are not permanent and the eye will continue to change and develop cataracts as you age.
Second sight has occurred in people who are farsighted or have good vision. People who are nearsighted tend to find cataracts skip this stage and immediately begin to make their vision worse.
It’s very important to book an appointment with your eye doctor if you experience any kind of significant changes in your eyes or vision.
How Does Diabetes Affect My Eyes?
People with diabetes need to pay close attention to their eyes, as diabetes has been well known to affect vision. You may find that with proper control over blood sugars, blurry vision can lessen or disappear completely. Always keep your optometrist involved in any decisions made about your health and management of your diabetes.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that affects many people and is one of the leading causes of vision loss in diabetics. It occurs when the blood vessels in the eyes become damaged over time by high blood sugar levels. Fortunately, in most cases, it progresses slowly, so it’s easier to detect it soon enough for treatment with routine diabetic eye exams.
How Does Diet Affect My Vision?
While eating spinach won’t immediately bring back your sight, there is merit to eating a healthy and balanced diet when it comes to maintaining your vision.
Getting enough nutrients from foods like leafy greens and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids can help to slow or even stop some vision deterioration. If you think you aren’t getting enough nutrients, consider using a vitamin to supplement your diet.
Your Health & Your Eyes Are Linked
Keeping yourself healthy, like changing your diet, won’t significantly improve your eyesight, but it can help prevent eye diseases. Exercise can lower your risk of conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can negatively affect your eyes and cause vision loss.
Smoking is another habit that affects the eyes. Keeping from, or stopping smoking, is another healthy choice that can prevent your vision from deteriorating quickly as you age.
Protect Your Eyes from Damage
Taking care of your eyes can also be as simple as wearing sunglasses on a sunny day. Protecting your eyes from the damaging light of the sun is important as the sun can have negative effects on your vision.
Another way of protecting your eyes is to never skip safety glasses during activities where small particles could be flying around at high speeds. Keeping your eyes from getting injured can prevent the buildup of scar tissues that can be difficult to see through, and could be the cause of complications later in life.
Protect Your Eyes from Bacteria & Infection
Maintaining good hygiene is integral for eye health due to the delicate nature of the tissue and how quickly an eye infection can threaten your sight.
Always wash your hands before putting your fingers near your eyes, especially if you use contact lenses. Be sure to replace old or expired contact lenses as soon as you notice, and don’t risk putting anything into your eye if you aren’t positive it’s safe.
Changes in the Eye
If you experience any changes in your vision, be sure to book an appointment with a qualified eye doctor as soon as you can. Some changes in your vision may seem mild or, in the case of second sight, positive, but underlying issues could cause your eyesight to diminish if proper treatment is delayed or symptoms are ignored.
When to See Your Optometrist
If you feel like your vision is getting worse or changing, speak to your optometrist right away. Our friendly team at Total Vision Sports Arena in San Diego is here to support your ocular health. Talk to our professional team today.
