What’s causing those wrinkles under your eyes? It turns out it may not be all that hard living. It could just be your eyes! The skin around the eye is the thinnest and most delicate layer of skin on the body. And because your eyelids are constantly moving, this area sustains a lot of wear and tear. When we age, our DNA dries up and slows down cell turnover in our skin cells. As a result, creases show up where they used to be hidden underneath thicker layers of skin. Here are how your eyes can age you
Losing the ability to focus the eyes
This is because the muscles that control the lens of your eye stiffen with age. They can become unable to move, which makes it difficult for you to see clear images at a distance.
Swollen eyes and eyelids
Another consequence of aging is fatty deposits on the tissues in your eye sockets and under your lids. They can cause the outer edges of your eyelids to swell and make you look older.
Sagging eyelids
A third consequence of aging is that your lower eyelid droops down over the edge of your eyeball, which looks unnatural and makes you look older. In this case, a plastic surgeon would carry out an eyelid lift to restore a youthful appearance.
Bags under the eyes
Another consequence of aging is that your upper eyelid sags and bags from under the lower eye. It makes you look older.
Drooping eyes
Your entire eye shape changes as you age due to processes like fat deposits in the under-eye area causing bulges, especially when you smile or look tired.
Puffy eyes
When you are tired, the blood vessels in your eyes may contain more fluid than usual. It makes your eyes look puffy and can make you look older.
No longer being able to see as well
The number of cones in the retina responsible for seeing in low light also diminishes with age, making objects seem dimmer and causing color recognition to be impaired. Are you with me so far?
Cataracts
This is a clouding over of the lens that occurs as a result of aging. It causes the lens to become cloudy and opaque, affecting your vision in the same way as when you are looking through the dusty glass. Surgeons can often remove the affected natural lens and replace it with an artificial one so that you no longer need glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a degeneration of the optic nerve, which can cause permanent damage. It is often noticed first with a loss of peripheral vision. Glaucoma is diagnosed with a visual field test, in which the practitioner checks your eye for blind spots or areas of poor vision. It can also cause increased pressure inside the eye, which makes your eyes look red and sore.
Cataract removal
If you keep your eyes healthy by eating a balanced diet, taking supplements, and getting sufficient exercise and sleep, you should be able to see well into old age. Cataract surgery is very safe and effective. It is a simple procedure, and the recovery time is short.
Accommodative dysfunction
This loss of focusing power occurs when the lens stiffens because the muscles become weak and can no longer focus on close objects. A pair of reading glasses or bifocal lenses usually corrects this condition, but it may require cataract surgery to treat it completely.
Color blindness
Color blindness is a deficiency of one or more cones responsible for color vision. People with this condition see colors differently from the rest of us, so they can’t tell red from green, blue from yellow, or purple from violet. It was first identified in the days of Aristotle, who described people who were unable to tell blue and yellow apart as being ‘blue-eyed.’ These days, there are various ways you can test if you have this condition.
Dry eyes
Many older people suffer from dry eyes, but they are often overlooked and not treated properly for various reasons. Myths about eye care that say you must use drops to drop the water out of your eye will do you no good and lead to corneal damage or even blindness.
Wrinkled skin around the eye area
Most older people experience crepe-like wrinkling of this area. Cosmetic procedures like in Thompson Facial Plastics can help eliminate this appearance.
Dark circles around the eyes
This is a common condition in which dark patches develop below the lower eyelids and can make you look older. All skin overproduces pigment as a response to sun damage (which occurs more frequently after the age of 40), and inflammation and blood vessels leak into surrounding tissue following an injury or infection, producing the bluish color that causes dark circles.
Blood vessels in the eyelids
The skin in the area around the eyes is known as tarsal or palpebral skin, and it is thinner than other areas of facial skin. As a result, it tends to tear more easily, and you can have what appear to be black or blue bruising around your eyes after an injury or a nosebleed.
Acne around the eye area
Pimples usually develop during adolescence, but they can also occur for various reasons later on in life, such as stress, hormonal imbalances, and an unhealthy diet. Severe acne can lead to facial scarring.
Eye twitches
This is a prevalent condition among older people, but it is often ignored or mistaken for other conditions that cause the eyes to blink or move involuntarily. A variety can treat eye twitching of means.
Skin changes
The skin around the eyes is thinner and more fragile than other areas of facial skin. As a result, it may develop open pores, broken capillaries, and brown spots. A healthy diet and plenty of exercises will help you maintain good elasticity in your skin and slow down the aging process.
Control of tears
Your lacrimal gland produces tears to keep your eyes hydrated and lubricated. If you experience dry eyes, it may be because you do not produce enough tears or the quality of your tears is poor. In these cases, an eye doctor may prescribe artificial tears to help you keep your eyes moist and healthy.
Redness of the eyes
There are many causes of redness of the eyes, including tiredness, hay fever, and irritation. If you have red eyes for an extended period without any apparent cause, you should consult your eye doctor for treatment.
Puffiness of the eyes
This occurs as part of the aging process, but it can be temporarily caused by too much sleep, excessive drinking, or an emotional upset. Many people opt to use eye drops to relieve the puffiness in their eyes following a night where they did not get enough rest. You should consult your eye doctor if this happens regularly.
Conclusion
Now, you can see that most of the visible changes in the appearance of your eyes as you grow older are simply a reflection of changes occurring in other parts of your body. However, there are also many things that you can control and prevent or treat that will ensure your eyes remain healthy for many years to come.
