Keep Your Eyes Healthy: Top Tips

The American Optometric Association always stresses the importance of keeping your eyes healthy. With the pandemic still at large, many people often forget the importance of eye and vision health. Most businesses and schools have decided to reach out through online platforms. This means that you should adopt by going online as well. Even so, more screen time can be taxing to your eyes. If you want to keep up by keeping your eyes healthy, here’s what you should know.
 

Acknowledge Eye Fatigue

Using electronic gadgets can cause eyestrain. The same results from doing close work for hours. To prevent this type of eye condition, look away from your screen every 20 minutes. Then, look at something that’s 20 feet away from you for about 20 minutes. In case your eyestrain persists, you should see your eye doctor.
 

Stop Smoking

Health experts always say that smoking tobacco is connected to myriad health issues. When you smoke, you increase your risk of developing the following eye diseases:
 

• Cataract. Your risk of getting cataracts is three times greater than nonsmokers if you are a heavy smoker (at least 15 cigarette sticks a day).

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). If you are a smoker or a nonsmoker living with smokers, your risk of developing AMD increases.

• Dry eye syndrome. Smokers have a higher risk of developing dry eye syndrome.

• Diabetic retinopathy. Regular smoking increases your risk of having diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that causes vision impairment.

• Glaucoma. According to health experts, there is a significant link between high blood pressure and smoking. The abnormal elevation in your blood pressure is a risk factor in developing glaucoma.

Wear UV Eye Protection

See to it that you get eyewear with 100 percent UV (ultraviolet) eye protection. You can also wear wide-brimmed hats and UV-protective contact lenses to enhance your eye protection.
 

Keep Routine Eye Exam Appointments

Have regular eye exams. Once your ophthalmologist detects eye issues, you can receive early treatments for them.
 

Eat Healthily

Have more carrots and green leafy vegetables to prevent retinal dysfunction. Make sure you have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, lutein, and zinc.
 

Wear Eye Trauma Protection

Statistics show that millions of people experience eye injuries each year in the United States. If you participate in DIY activities, make sure you wear ANSI-approved eye protection. For sports activities, be sure to get protective eyewear with the approval of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials).
 

Care for Contact Lenses Properly

Here are some reminders for proper contact lens care:
 

• Follow your eye care provider’s instructions on proper use and care of contact lenses.

• Do not wear your contacts while sleeping if they are not designed for it.

• Never reuse your disposable contacts.

• Refrain from using expired eye cleaning solutions.

• Do not use water or saliva in cleaning your contact lenses.

Keeping your eyes healthy can make your life more fruitful. At Perceptions Eye Health & Wellness, we always promote good eye care habits during every routine eye exam. Please visit our clinic in Southport, North Carolina, for an in-person consultation. You can also call us at 910-400-1215 if you want to schedule an appointment or ask questions about our eye and vision care packages.