SPECIAL SECTION : HEALTHY LIVING
Women ’ s Healthy Aging Project found that babysitting grandchildren could lower the risk of Alzheimer ’ s . u Challenge Yourself – Enjoy crossword puzzles or painting ? Keep your brain challenged by doing something new each day , whether it is learning a new language , doing a jigsaw puzzle or reading a book !
Eye and Ear Health
Hearing and vision are two essential parts of our everyday lives . Yet there are many individuals who let ear and eye problems go unattended . Ear and eye health is equally as important as taking care of the rest of the body and should be well cared for to ensure many years of seeing and hearing the things you love .
Eye Health
It is important to visit your eye care professional once a year for a comprehensive eye exam . Although you may think you are seeing fine , issues may be lurking without any warning signs . During a yearly visit , your pupils will be dilated , or widened , so that your eye care professional can examine the back of the eye for damage or disease . It is important to know your family ’ s eye health history as well , since some conditions are hereditary . Some of the most common eye diseases include diabetic retinopathy , glaucoma , cataracts , and age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ).
u Diabetic Retinopathy : This type 1 or type 2 diabetic complication is caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina , the light-sensitive tissues in the back of the eye . If left untreated , diabetic retinopathy could cause blindness . Early stages of this condition may go unnoticed if an eye care professional is not visited yearly . As the condition progresses , symptoms may include blurred vision , impaired color vision , floaters , and / or dark areas in your vision . Symptoms may occur if there is too much sugar in your blood , which can cause a blockage in the blood vessels that lead to the retina . Proper management of diabetes is the best way to prevent vision loss . u Glaucoma : The second leading cause of blindness , glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye ’ s optic nerve . The risk of developing glaucoma increases with age and if parents or siblings have the disease . During an eye
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