Your eyes are the window through which you see the world around you. From the moment you wake up each morning, you depend on your sight to go about your daily activities. Yet, most of us never really think about what we should do to maintain good eyesight. Here are several top tips to keep your eyes healthy:
Eat Right
What you eat matters. Choosing to eat nourishing foods regularly will help you avoid vision problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration. To protect your eyes, you need to eat plenty of nutrients that include vitamins C and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can quickly get these by choosing to eat a variety of foods such as:
- vegetables and leafy salad greens
- oily fish like salmon and tuna
- citrus fruits
- eggs
- pork
- nuts
- beans
Avoid Smoking
If you’re a smoker, quit now. Studies have shown a direct correlation between tobacco smoking and poor eye health, such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Smoking is also associated with a lot of other adverse health conditions.
Use Sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes from the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. UV light is known to cause retinal damage and accelerate the development of cataracts. It also promotes damage to the unique skin around the eyelids in the form of wrinkles and growths, some of which can be cancerous. Choose sunglasses that provide full protection from both UV-A and UVB-rays.
Wear Eye Protection
Eye injuries happen more often than you think. From sports-related injuries to home repair mishaps, protective eyewear is an effective way to prevent damage to your eyes. ANSI-approved eyewear protection is adequate for most activities.
Use Screens with Care
Suppose you look at a computer or phone screens for many hours each day. In that case, you may notice symptoms of eye fatigue, including blurred vision, difficulty focusing on faraway things, dry eyes, headaches, neck pain, etc. You can avoid a lot of screen-caused eye problems by setting up good habits and proper ergonomics, such as:
- Rest your eyes every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. Look for software applications to provide timely reminders to look away from the screen.
- Blink more, use artificial tears to help you combat dry eyes as needed.
- Adjust your screen lighting to reduce brightness and glare.
- Make sure your computer screen is 24-28 inches from your face, and the top of the screen is slightly below your eye level.
- Sit in a supportive chair, adjusted so that your feet are flat on the floor. This will help you minimize body stress and fatigue, which can contribute to eye strain.
Visit your Eye Doctor
Your eyesight can change throughout your life. You can help to protect your eyes by visiting your eye doctor for regular eye exams. Your doctor will help you detect and treat eye conditions early and keep your glasses prescriptions up to date. Call our offices today to schedule an appointment.
