#26 Keep an eye on your eyes 👀
What about hormones changes, do they affect my eyes?
Good vibes for your mailbox!
Hello Girls,
If you've had decent eyesight all your life, the idea of rocking a pair of glasses might've had a tiny bit of allure, right? I mean, who hasn't secretly wondered if they'd look smarter or more sophisticated with specs? Guilty as charged. But let me tell you, I wish I hadn't entertained that thought, because karma hit me like a ton of bricks about 20 years later. A buddy once told me that once you hit 42, boom, that’s it, you can’t see shit. He was pretty much spot on. The first time I said “ I can’t see I don’t have my glasses” broke my heart! So today we are looking at what is happening with our eyes as we age and what we can do.
I just got a SnapChat from Donz, chilling in a pool in Brisbane with her squad and some vino! Her de-stress game is still on point. As for me, I surfed so much today, this newsletter will be short and sweet so I can go to bed!
Until next week,
Donna and Delph
The eyes 👀 by Delph
It slowly starts with not being able to see the small print on ingredient labels at the supermarket... Then you're at a restaurant, it's dimly lit, and you struggle to read the menu. Or your teen is showing you something on their phone, holding it just 30 cm from your face, and you feel squinting and straining. Or maybe you find yourself wishing you had longer arms just to hold things further away so you could see them more clearly!
These changes in your focusing power have been occurring gradually since childhood. Now your eyes don't have enough focusing power to see clearly for reading and other close vision tasks.
Losing this focusing ability for near vision, called presbyopia. When we are young, the natural lens is flexible and can therefore focus light where needed – giving us clear vision and allowing our eyes to see objects near, far, and everything in between. However, as we age, the lenses and muscles in our eyes begin to get stiff and inflexible. The result? Blurry vision for things up close, like when you’re reading a book or your phone.
Most people start to notice the effects of presbyopia in their early to mid-40s, and it continues to worsen until around age 65.
What are the presbyopia (reading vision) symptoms?
The need for more light when reading
Difficulty seeing nearby objects clearly
The need to hold things farther away to read them
The need to use reading glasses or bifocals
Difficulty looking at a computer screenAs much as I would like to to give you good news, there is no evidence that any eye exercice or other voodoo technique can prevent presbyopia. For you, me, Donz and all our Gen-X friends (born between 1965 and 1980), it is only a matter of time.
So, what are you options?
Obviously reading glasses are the easiest option with bifocals, and progressive lenses. I’m still stuck on basic ones and after trying Donn’a progressive ones, I ight make the move!
Contact lenses, including monovision and multifocal lenses.
Laser surgery and other refractive surgery procedures. There has been lots of progress in the last 5-10 years and I will explore this option when my vision stop deteriorating.
What about hormone changes, do they affect my eyes?
Yes, they do. Boo.
Aside from the deteriorating reading vision which affect men and women equally, hormonal changes are the name of the game during menopause.
When estrogen levels drop, so does the amount of moisture in our eyes. It's like someone turned off the tap, leaving our poor peepers high and dry. Hence, the dreaded dry eye syndrome makes its grand entrance.
But wait, it gets even better (or worse, depending on how you look at it). Along with dryness, some of us might notice a decrease in tear production altogether. You know, those tears that come to the rescue when we're feeling emotional or just need a good cry? Yeah, they might start playing hard to get during menopause.
So make sure you drink fluids, no not wine! Keeping your body hydrated can work wonders for your eyes too.
Next up, consider using artificial tears or lubricating eye drops. These little miracles can help replenish moisture and provide some much-needed relief from dryness and irritation.
And let's not forget about good ol' fashioned self-care. Remember to blink regularly (yes, seriously), take breaks from screens, and give your eyes some well-deserved rest.
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Non review - Makeup Glasses by Delph
The object you needed but didn’t know was a thing!
A little bit of mascara and eyeshadow is all I use in terms of makeup. But as my vision is declining, it is becoming incredibly difficult to see what I'm doing! Obviously, I can't wear glasses to do my eyes. Well, ta-da, check that out!
Say Goodbye to heavy uneven makeup, bright red cheeks and crooked lipstick! Put on your makeup with confidence. No more embarrassing mis-applications!
I’m getting some, can’t wait to try them!
Some good reads about eyes
➡️ Keep an eye on your eyes. The eyes are more than windows to the soul. With advances in eye health technology, they can also give a unique look into your health.
➡️Face shapes and the right glasses
➡️Care of the Eyes Demands Diligence
➡️How Wearing Sunglasses Impacts Your Eyes