Episode talent

• Nick Gidas, head of clinical performance, Specsavers.

• Kathryn Launchbury, senior professional services manager, audiology, Specsavers.

• Taryn Black, chief strategy officer, Diabetes Australia.

• Dr Kathy Chapman, CEO, Macular Disease Foundation Australia.

In the final episode of The Future Looks Bright we look at the importance of a holistic approach to health as we navigate the ageing process.

We meet Dug, a 44-year-old from Sydney who is confronting natural changes to his eyesight and hearing. A lifelong musician, Dug has been playing in bands since he was 14, but has recently noticed that in noisy pubs and restaurants he struggles to hear friends talking. And he’s not alone.

According to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, about 3.6 million Australians have some level of hearing loss.

Kathryn Launchbury, a senior professional services manager, audiology, at Specsavers, says that once people reach their 40s and 50s, they are more susceptible to hearing loss. However, exposure to loud noises “can also start damaging your hearing from a much earlier age than a lot of people expect”.

From listening to music at high volumes to the environmental noise experienced by hairdressers, gardeners and builders, repeated and prolonged noise exposure is something we should be protecting ourselves against.

In addition to eye care services, Specsavers offer free 15-minute hearing checks and comprehensive diagnostic assessments with audiology professionals.

As a result of his advancing age, Dug has also experienced some deterioration in his eyesight. He wears glasses when he’s working on his computer and reading, and they’re something he can’t do without. Nick Gidas, an optometrist and the head of clinical performance at Specsavers, says that changing vision is a natural part of ageing.

“We’re born with a natural lens inside our eye that’s like an autofocus in a camera,” Gidas says. “[When we get] into our 40s and 50s, usually over a 10- to 20-year period, that lens loses flexibility and it impacts how close we can bring things to see.”

As we get older, we also naturally become susceptible to other eye conditions, such age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

Dr Kathy Chapman is the CEO of Macular Disease Foundation Australia. She says that while AMD isn’t painful, as it progresses it’s like having a “rock obscuring your view”. Understandably, this loss of central vision has a big impact on people’s lives.

In 2024 the foundation looked into how diet can help keep our eyes healthy. It can also be a factor in preventing type 2 diabetes.

Taryn Black, the chief strategy officer at Diabetes Australia, says about 60% of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented through diet and lifestyle.

About 1.5 million Australians are living with diagnosed diabetes, Diabetes Australia says. And up to 500,000 people have type 2 diabetes but don’t know it. The complications of diabetes are numerous, but changes in eyesight are often the first noticeable sign.

“We’re always getting older, and people put [vision changes] down to a sign of old age,” Black says. “But with half a million people living with undiagnosed diabetes, it’s often the optometrist who’s doing the eye check [who detects it first].”

Just as we see a GP for regular health checkups, it’s also important to see an optometrist to get regular eye health checks.

While simply getting older is a risk factor for many health conditions, there are practical steps we can all take to navigate the challenges of ageing with resilience and optimism.

Listen to the full series of The Future Looks Bright now [hyperlink].

Credits

The Future Looks Bright is produced by Guardian Labs Australia.

Narrator: Fenella Kernebone.

Series producer and editor: Cinnamon Nippard.

Guardian Labs producer: Ciara Bowe.

Lead commercial editor: Nicola Harvey.

The Future Looks Bright is paid for by Specsavers.

Show notes

• Find your local Specsavers store for optometry services https://www.specsavers.com.au

• Find your local Specsavers store for audiology services https://www.specsavers.com.au/hearing

• Find out more about Macular Disease Foundation Australia https://www.mdfoundation.com.au/

• Diabetes Australia, support for people living with diabetes https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/