Cataracts are a common eye condition in older individuals. Like having something obscuring your view, they can make your vision blurry, or they can even make you lose vision completely. Treatment is usually surgical removal of cataracts. While cataracts are common, however, there are a lot of common habits that actually increase your risk of developing cataracts. Check out these four common habits, so you can avoid them to reduce your risk of cataracts.
Smoking Cigarettes
Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of just about every condition, including cataracts. Anyone can develop cataracts. In fact, about 50 percent of Americans have had a cataract or cataract surgery by the time they are 80.
If you smoke, however, your chances of developing cataracts doubles. Smoking tends to cause cataracts for two reasons. First, it reduces the amount of blood flow to your tissues, including your eyes.
Second, smoking also speeds oxidation, which is a normal part of aging. However, smoking makes oxidation happen much faster, causing you and your eyes to age faster.
Overindulging in Alcohol
A few drinks here and there likely won't lead to cataracts, but overindulging in alcohol can lead to many issues, including an increased risk of cataracts. The more you overdrink, the higher your risk of developing a cataract.
As with smoking cigarettes, alcohol causes cataracts because it causes your body to age faster than normal. If a mother drinks while pregnant, that also increases the chance of her child unborn child developing cataracts later in life.
Overeating Unhealthy Foods
Overeating can lead to many problems because it can lead to obesity. While obesity doesn't seem to increase the risk of cataracts, however, eating too many unhealthy foods may cause cataracts. This is because when you eat too many unhealthy foods, there is no room to eat healthy foods that contain the valuable nutritional content you need, such as vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, even if you are overeating, you can become malnourished without even realizing it if you are eating unhealthy foods. Being malnourished can affect the overall health of your body and your eyes. Also, overeating increases the risk of diabetes, which alone can increase the risk of cataracts.
Getting Some Sun
Being in the sun for a limited amount of time can be healthy because it provides vitamin D. However, if you spend too much time in the sun or aren't protecting yourself, the UV rays from the sun can be damaging.
As with smoking and alcohol, too much sun can age your skin and eyes. Too much radiation from UV rays is absorbed into the eye, which can lead to long-term damage, such as cataracts. It's best to limit your time in the sun and wear UV blocking sunglasses when in the sun.
If you don't want to develop cataracts, or you'd like to reduce your risk of developing them, there are some steps you can take to keep your body healthy. Typically, as long as you make healthy choices that promote a youthful, healthy body, you are doing the best you can to reduce your risk of cataracts. If you believe you already are developing a cataract or you want more information on how to avoid cataracts, contact an optician such as Olympia Eye Clinic, Inc., P.S. today.
