Whether you need to wear corrective eyewear or not, you should never take your general eye health for granted. Protect your eyes with some simple habits.
Eat a Healthy Diet to Maintain Good Vision
What you put in your mouth greatly impacts your overall eye health; studies show that nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E can help ward off age-related vision problems, like macular degeneration and cataracts.
Foods to Help Eye Health:
- Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards
- Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
- Eggs, nuts, beans, and other non-meat protein sources
- Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices
There is a secondary benefit to eating well; if you stay at a healthy weight you have less chance of developing any obesity related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
Protect Your Eyes from Light
The right kind of sunglasses will help protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, as too much UV exposure makes you more likely to get cataracts and macular degeneration.
Choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the side. Polarized lenses reduce glare when driving.
If you wear contact lenses, some offer UV protection. It's still a good idea to wear sunglasses for more protection.
Use Safety Eyewear
If you work with hazardous or airborne materials at work or home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles every time. When you’re doing DIY, put them on-it only takes one flying splinter to cause major pain!
Certain sports such as squash, hockey etc. can also lead to eye injury. Wear eye protection (such as helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses) to shield your eyes.
Don’t Stare at Computer all day
Staring at a computer, even when its light is adjusted for maximum eye-friendliness, is damaging and can cause:
- Eyestrain
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty focusing at a distance
- Dry eyes
- Headaches
- Neck, back, and shoulder pain
Make sure your glasses or contact lens prescription is up-to-date and adequate for computer use; ensure you’re well positioned so your eyes are level with the top of the monitor o you’re looking slightly down at the screen.
If your eyes are dry, blink more, and give them a rest every 20 minutes or so by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds. At least every two hours, get up and take a 15-minute break.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is bad for just about everything; it makes you more likely to get cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration.
The mechanical action of smoking will give you lines and wrinkles, and smoke in your eyes is never going to feel good.
If you wear corrective eyewear and would like to be free of it forever, give Optilase a call to see if you might be eligible for Laser Eye Surgery. They’ll give you a completely free consultation. Call +353 1 223 8821 or read about the Laser Eye Surgery Journey.
