Your eyes are very critical organs in your body. They are a complex network of major and minor parts that can break down if you neglect them for too long. You should ensure an eye care regimen is part of your wellness plan, even if you are not suffering from any eye problems right now.
Cataracts and untreated refractive problems are the most common causes of visual impairment, as per the latest news reports. Both these issues can be taken care of through early intervention.
Here are five ways to maintain proper eye health.
1. Get Your Eyes Tested Regularly
Visiting an eye doctor or an ophthalmologist regularly is very important. It should be part of your medical checkup routine just like going to the dentist. As we age, our bodies change, and so do our eyes, so it’s important to get checked regularly.
With eye exams in Minneapolis, or amending this to your local area, your doctor can check for diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration, which are common but not always obvious until they are in advanced stages. By then, it may be too late to reverse their effects on your sight. The earlier these diseases are diagnosed and treated, the better off you will be.
You shouldn’t wait until you cannot see well. Children are often unable to articulate the issues they experience with visibility and end up suffering from myopia.
Eye care is often covered by your health insurance plan, and it would be prudent to utilize the same every year by scheduling a preventive eye checkup. Often a corrective pair of lenses will resolve a blurry or distorted vision. Considering a visit to a nearby store to see if you need Eye Glasses would be a good starting point in your journey towards healthy eyesight.
2. Wear Sunglasses
Wear protective sunglasses to protect your eyes whenever you step into the sun. Try to buy a pair of 100% UV400 sunglasses that block out both UVB and UVA rays.
Don’t go too dark, as this will make it difficult for you to see clearly, especially in a car or at night when lights are flashing by you. You can try photochromatic glasses if you wear spectacles.
3. Quit or Reduce Smoking
Smoking can cause eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma. Smoking increases your risk of developing glaucoma by causing damage to the blood vessels in your eyes, which leads to increased pressure on your optic nerve. Glaucoma can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.
Studies conclude smoking is the strongest risk factor associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration or ARMD.
To prevent smoking-related eye problems, try to quit. If you’ve already been diagnosed with any kind of eye disease caused by smoking or drinking alcohol heavily, like macular degeneration, talk to your doctor about quitting smoking and taking steps toward healthier living in general.
4. Limit Your Screen Time
According to Fortune Magazine, around 70% of Americans are working longer hours at their home workstations due to the shift towards remote working.
The article mentions that this has resulted in a host of vision issues like an early onset of myopia and plummeting of blink rates by up to 66%, resulting in dryness of your eyes.
The American Optometric Association recommends limiting screen time for children and teens to 30 minutes per day. Younger children should have even less time on screens, with 5-year-olds restricted to 15 minutes and those under 3 years old not exposed at all.
However, it is not always possible to follow these rules. As a compromise, you can try the 20-20-20 rule to manage your screen time. Experts recommend a break of 20 seconds duration from your screen every 20 minutes.
During the break, you should look up from your computer and focus on something at least 20 feet away. You should be in a well-lit room when using computers and other devices. This will help reduce eye strain and prevent headaches, which can be caused by staring at a screen for too long without blinking or looking away.
5. Take Your Vitamins
Just as you might take vitamins to support your heart or joints, vitamins can help keep your eyes healthy too.
Some vitamins can only be obtained through diet because they cannot be produced by our bodies. Vitamins are most commonly found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. You may also choose to take supplemental pills.
If you want to keep your eyes healthy and strong, you must follow these tips. If you already have a condition such as glaucoma or cataracts, taking extra care of them will help prevent further damage or complications.
