Good eye health is crucial throughout your lifetime. Alongside regular eye exams by an optometrist, you must adhere to these suggestions to ensure your eyes stay well-maintained.
Wear protective eyewear
Simple tasks around your house can cause many eye injuries each year. It is recommended to wear high-quality, protective eyewear while playing sports or performing things like mowing your lawn with hand tools or spray painting. Eyewear protection includes goggles, safety glasses, eye shields, and safety guards. Based on your job, the employer could require you to wear eye protection to create a safe work setting.
Stop smoking
Smoking cigarettes harms your health, especially your eyes health. Smoking increases the chance of developing retinal disorders (e.g., age-related macular decline) and cataracts, which can aggravate existing eye problems and cause damage to the optic nerve that can cause blindness.
Make sure your eyes are protected from harmful UV Rays.
The sun’s harmful UV rays can cause a range of eye diseases, including cataracts, eye cancers, photokeratitis (eye sunburn), and pterygium (Surfer’s eye). Quality sunglasses, especially those that wrap around and have polarized lenses, are an excellent method to protect your eyes from damage caused by bright sunlight. When buying sunglasses, look for ones that block 99-100 percent of all UVA or UVB radiation. A wide-brimmed hat must also be worn to protect your eyes. Do not stare directly into the sun since you could be able to cause permanent eye damage.
Beware of flash burns.
Exposure to the torch of a welder reflection off the water, the snow from a lamp at the tanning salon, or looking at mighty lights like health a photographer’s halogen flood light could cause flash burns to your eyes. Eye protection should be worn in all of these instances. Eye flash burns could be compared to sunburns and may cause painful cornea inflammation. The injury may recover within a few days if it isn’t severe. If the burn is more powerful, it must be dealt with immediately as it can result in loss of vision, mainly if it gets infected. If a flash burn is suspected, consult a physician promptly.
Take breaks from the computer.
A lot of time on the computer or in a single area is linked to fatigue of the eyes and decreased blinking. Use the 20-20-20 rule: every twenty minutes, gaze twenty feet (roughly 6 meters) off for 20 minutes. This could decrease eye strain and increase blinking.
Contact lenses should be used as directed.
Contact lenses that are not adequately used could be harmful to your eyes. Be sure to:
Always wash your hands after cleaning them to prevent contracting an infection.
Examine your contacts for damage, tears, or defects before using
Remove and insert lenses according to the instructions of your eye doctor
Make sure you use the right contact lens solution for your needs.
Never store or clean contact lenses with saliva or tap water due to the possibility of contracting an infection health.
Clean and replace your storage container regularly
Do not wear contact lenses for more extended periods than the manufacturer suggests.
Take them off immediately if you are uncomfortable while wearing them.
Stay away from bed with your contacts in.
Always keep a pair of glasses in your bag.
Don’t rub your eyes.
While it could appear harmless, eye rubbing can cause eye problems. If you’re prone to eye rubbing regularly, this can cause an increase in eye pressure and damage to the cornea. In certain instances, the rubbing of your eyes can cause damage to the cornea, causing it to be more conical in shape, much like the shape of a rugby ball. This is referred to as keratoconus. It may result in significant distortion of vision.
Get rid of old makeup.
The skin and our hands are home to various bacteria that can enter our eyes through makeup. Cosmetic products for the eyes (e.g., eye shadows, eyeliner, foundation, and mascara) are prone to becoming unsanitary as time passes. They must be changed every three months. Likewise, regular makeup brushes must be cleaned using soap and hot water. Contact lenses wearers must be extra cautious regarding applying precise eye makeup. Ensure you don’t share your eye makeup with anyone else because this increases the chance of getting a virus.
Eat well to maintain healthy eyes.
A balanced and healthy diet is vital to maintain good eyesight. Eating these food items frequently reduces the chance of developing eye problems such as macular degeneration.
Maintain your weight in a healthy range.
There is a strong connection between weight gain and the development of various eye conditions. The extra weight can increase blood pressure and cause stress to the delicate blood vessels that line your eyes. The damage to blood vessels could result in vision issues. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing diabetes or other medical conditions that could lead to eye problems like diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration due to age, and Glaucoma.
Be aware of the medical history of your family members.
A variety of eye disorders and conditions are hereditary. That means that the higher risk of being affected is passed on through your genes. If a relative on your list has been diagnosed with an eye disorder, you could be more likely to develop it for yourself. It is essential to ensure that all of your medical professionals know your family’s medical history. This is especially true when a family member is diagnosed with an eye problem.
Make sure you have regular eye checks.
Making these changes to ensure your eyes are healthy is vital; however, it’s equally crucial to have your eyes examined by an optometrist regularly, even if you don’t detect any issues regarding your vision. Optometrists do not only prescribe corrective glasses or contact lenses. They assess the general condition of your eyes and may refer you to an optometrist should it be necessary. Eye conditions are not always obvious, and the early detection of eye problems could save your vision.
