Our eyes are without a doubt one of the most important parts of our body. Without them, doing just about everything in life would be incredibly challenging. Despite this importance, many people don’t put as much energy or focus into keeping their eyes healthy as they should.
Around 12 million adults over 40 in the USA suffer from vision impairment of some kind. While some diseases and disorders can’t be avoided or planned for, there are plenty of things you can do to increase your eye health and keep them in top shape for as long as possible
Without any further ado, the following four eye care tips and tricks will help ensure your eyes stay as healthy and functional as possible.
Go For Regular Eye Exams
Eye exams are certainly a must when it comes to keeping your eyes healthy. Many eye-related issues don’t have symptoms until they are quite advanced, so heading for an eye exam is one of the only ways to truly know how healthy your eyes are. The exams will go over everything from testing your vision, checking out your eye pressure, checking for diseases and much more.
The average person should go for an eye exam every two years or so. If you are a senior citizen, or wear glasses or contacts, you may need to go more frequently. Some at-risk adults may need to go more often, as well. Of course, be sure to have quality vision insurance to ensure these visits are affordable and so you don’t hold off on going.
Protect Your Eyes
It is also crucial that you protect your eyes. They are quite sensitive and in some cases, it doesn’t take a lot to hurt or damage them. If you are working in an area where there are potential airborne materials, wearing safety glasses is always recommended. The last thing you want is a ton of sawdust, shrapnel or something else getting in your eye.
In addition to protecting your eyes when doing dangerous work, you should also be sure to protect them on sunny days. The UV rays of the sun can be very harmful to our eyes, so always be sure to wear proper sunglasses when you are outside.
Be Careful With Screens
Many of us are in front of a screen for most of our day. Whether we are browsing the internet on our computer, working at the office or browsing social media on our phones, we use our screens for hours each day. Unfortunately, using these screens too often and for too long can be quite rough on our eyes.
It can lead to dry eyes, eye strain, blurry vision, headaches and trouble focusing. As a result, be sure to take frequent breaks from staring at the screen. It also couldn’t hurt to reduce the brightness on your devices and consider wearing computer glasses to help.
Eat Well and Stay Healthy
Of course, what you eat also plays a crucial role in the health of your eyes. You should eat a balanced diet, and be sure to get enough of the nutrients that can help with eye health. This includes omega 3, zinc, and vitamin C and E, just to name a few.
Some of the foods that you should consider include fish, citrus fruits, leafy greens and protein sources like nuts and beans. Also, some obesity-related diseases and ailments can also contribute to worsening eyesight, so eating healthy can also reduce your chances of having to deal with these.
In conclusion, these aforementioned tips and tricks will help keep your eyes in great shape.