Taking Care of Your Parent's Eyes

Our eyesight should never be taken for granted. As you provide care for your aging father, you will want to take the necessary steps to help him to continue to have good eye health, whether he needs corrective lenses or not. There are a lot of basic care steps that either you or your home care assistance professional can do routinely to help your parent maintain healthy eyesight.

Eat right

Enjoying a healthy diet rich in the proper nutrients is a good first step in maintaining good eye health for your parent. The old adage that carrots will help you see better is actually true. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which the body uses to make Vitamin A. Low Vitamin A levels can lead to dry eye, corneal scratching, vision loss, and night blindness.

But it’s not only carrots that are good for your parent’s vision. Having plenty of vegetables such as kale, red peppers, oysters, and salmon also promotes good eye health. If your parent isn’t sure how to add all of these delicious and healthy ingredients into his menu, a home care assistance provider may be able to help him prepare meals that will include eye-healthy foods like these.

Protect the eyes when outside

It’s also important for your parent to protect his eyes when he’s enjoying the great outdoors. The sun can cause damage to the eyes so keeping them covered will help to protect them. Two of the best ways to protect eyes from the damaging effects of the sun are wide-brimmed hats (even a baseball cap can help), and sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation. If your parent wears prescription glasses, he can get prescription sunglasses with UV protection when he purchases his next pair.

Stop smoking

Smoking can damage the eyes in addition to all of the other negative effects it has on the body. A smoker increases his risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and dry eyes. Smokers are three to four times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than nonsmokers. If your parent is a smoker, continue to help him find the best course of action to help him quit.

Get to regular check-ups with home care assistance aides

Home Care Assistance Bellevue TN – Taking Care of Your Parent’s Eyes

At the top of the list should be having your parent get his regular eye check-ups. He should have someone take him to and from these check-ups so if you are unable to do this yourself, consider hiring someone who provides home care assistance to bring him to and from his appointments. Your parent should see a trained ophthalmologist or optometrist. Seniors should get regular dilated-eye exams (thus the need for a driver) to check for eye diseases every year or two. And if your parent has diabetes or high blood pressure, his eye professional may want them more often. This check is often the first and best way to discover any unhealthy anomalies in your parent’s eyes.

With some planning and regular care, you can help your parent maintain good eye health.

Source:https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/tobacco_control/smoking_can_lead_to_vision_loss_or_blindness.htm#

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance Services in Bellevue TN, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home. Serving Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Brentwood, Belle Meade, Franklin, Spring Hill, Columbia, Pulaski, and more!) Call today: 629-203-7925.