Your eyes are an important part of your health. Most people rely on their eyes to see and make sense of the world around them. But some eye diseases can lead to vision loss, so it is important to identify and treat eye diseases as early as possible. You should get your eyes checked as often as your health care provider recommends it, or if you have any new vision problems. And just as it is important to keep your body healthy, you also need to keep your eyes healthy.
Don't take your eyes for granted. Take these easy tips to keep your eyes healthy.
1. Eat Well
Good eye health starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts. To get them, fill your plate with:
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards
• Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
• Eggs, nuts, beans, and other nonmeat protein sources
• Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices
• Oysters and pork
A well-balanced diet also helps you stay at a healthy weight. That lowers your odds of obesity and related diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
2. Quit Smoking
It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration, among many other medical problems. If you've tried to kick the habit before only to start again, keep at it. The more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask your doctor for help.
3. Know Your Family Medical History
Some eye diseases are inherited, so it is important to find out whether anyone in your family has had them. This can help you determine if you are at higher risk of developing an eye disease.
4. Know Your Other Risk Factors
As you get older, you are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions. It is important to know your risk factors because you may be able to lower your risk by changing some behaviors.
5. Maintain A Healthy Weight
Being overweight or having obesity increases your risk of developing diabetes. Having diabetes puts you at higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
6. Get Regular Exercise
Exercise may help to prevent or control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These diseases can lead to some eye or vision problems. So if you exercise regularly, you can lower your risk of getting these eye and vision problems.
7. Avoid Rubbing Your Eyes
Oddly enough, a huge majority of people seem to be nurturing the habit of rubbing their eyes every other minute. For many of them, eye-rubbing turns into an irritating habit, which is quite damaging for eye health. You need to realize that most of the time your hands are covered with a host of germs responsible for different types of diseases and infections. So, it’s better if you get rid of this unhealthy habit, but if you can’t, make sure to keep your hands as clean as possible. You can use anything from soaps to sanitizers, just keep them clean if you can’t stop rubbing them over your eyes.
8. Wear Sunglasses
The right pair of shades will help protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Too much UV exposure boosts your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the side. Polarized lenses reduce glare while you drive, but don’t necessarily offer added protection.
If you wear contact lenses, some offer UV protection. It's still a good idea to wear sunglasses for an extra layer.
9. Use Safety Eyewear
If you use hazardous or airborne materials on the job or at home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles.
Sports like ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to an eye injury. Wear eye protection. Helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses will shield your eyes.
10. Look Away From the Computer Screen
Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause:
• Eyestrain
• Blurry vision
• Trouble focusing at a distance
• Dry eyes
• Headaches
• Neck, back, and shoulder pain
To protect your eyes:
• Make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen.
• If your eye strain won’t go away, talk to your doctor about computer glasses.
• Move the screen so your eyes are level with the top of the monitor. That lets you look slightly down at the screen.
• Try to avoid glare from windows and lights. Use an anti-glare screen if needed.
• Choose a comfortable, supportive chair. Position it so that your feet are flat on the floor.
• If your eyes are dry, blink more or try using artificial tears.
• Rest your eyes every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get up at least every 2 hours and take a 15-minute break.
11. Visit Your Eye Doctor Regularly
Everyone needs a regular eye exam, even young children. It helps protect your sight and lets you see your best.
Eye exams can also find diseases, like glaucoma, that have no symptoms. It's important to spot them early on when they're easier to treat.
Depending on your eye health needs, you can see one of two types of doctors:
• Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye care. They can provide general eye care, treat eye diseases, and perform eye surgery.
• Optometrists have had 4 years of specialized training after college. They provide general eye care and can diagnose treat most eye diseases. They don't do eye surgery.
A comprehensive eye exam might include:
• Talking about your personal and family medical history
• Vision tests to see if you’re nearsighted, farsighted, have astigmatism (a curved cornea that blurs vision), or presbyopia (age-related vision changes)
• Tests to see how well your eyes work together
• Eye pressure and optic nerve tests to check for glaucoma
• External and microscopic examination of your eyes before and after dilation.
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