Dietary habits in early life, but they can affect your risk of developing eye health concerns later in life. Younger eyes can be subject to even greater insults than older eyes, but cellular repair processes usually compensate for this damage.

By the time we’re in our 40s, drusen begins to make an appearance for many patients. For most people, however, it isn't until they reach their seventies that eye care practitioners identify a problem and visual function declines.

Lifestyle Choices Impact Visual Health

Many of our lifestyle choices have been made by the time we reach adulthood (dietary preferences, smoking, sunlight exposure, etc.). Cumulative blue light exposure over a lifetime does increase the risk of age-related eye health issues in those with low macular pigment levels. Our macular pigment density declines with age, but fortunately, it can be improved.

How to Improve Macular Pigment Protection

The EurEye Study Group in seven locations throughout Europe looked at more than 4,700 patients with serum antioxidant analyses lifestyle questions, fundus photographs and metrological data. They concluded that those with high lifetime blue light exposure and low serum levels of (combined) Vitamins C, E, and zeaxanthin (but not lutein) had nearly a four-fold increased risk of early age-related eye health issues. The increased risk seemed to accelerate in middle age.

So, at what age must a patient be before recommending an MPOD test? A baseline MPOD measurement at the age of 21 is a responsible practice. Having a conversation about risks is the right thing to do in patients with a high risk of developing an age-related eye health issues. In this case, the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” holds true: early assessment gives maximum available time to manage the risks of age-related eye health issues.