It’s vision health month! Eyes are an essential part of your overall body health, but can be easily overlooked. The older you get, the bigger the risk grows for eye disease. Approximately half of people by the time they reach age 80 develop cataracts.
Here are some tips to keep your eyes healthy.
Get Comprehensive Eye Exams Regularly
While many people assume their eyes are functioning well, it’s important to get your eyes checked. If you’re over the age of 60, many health professionals will recommend yearly examinations.
There are lots of reasons to get your eyes checked. Your eye doctor may discover that your eyesight can be improved with glasses, or perhaps a potentially serious issue can be detected early. Eye disease such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration can appear without any warning. These diseases can cause obscured vision, and even lead to blindness. The only way to catch these early is by getting your eyes checked.
Additionally, eye screenings can be a way of detecting diseases that affect the whole body. Diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers and neurological diseases can potentially be caught with a comprehensive eye examination.
Check Your Family History
Those who have family members with eye conditions are at an increased risk for being diagnosed with eye conditions of their own. Ask your family about their eye health, and also encourage them to get their eyes checked if they don’t already.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
What you eat can affect your whole body – this includes your eyes. Eat foods rich in vitamin A, including fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens and carrots. Some research show benefit in eating omega-3 fat, found in fish.
We know that smoking is harmful to your health – what most people don’t know is that smoking is also linked with eye health. Smoking has been associated with eye diseases including cataracts and optic nerve damage. Yet another reason to quit!
Wear Eye Protection
Wear protective eyewear when in bright sunlight, playing contact sports, or doing potentially hazardous activities. You can get your gear at an eye care provider or sporting goods store. When you buy your sunglasses, make sure they block out 99 % of UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Rest Your Eyes
With many of us spending too much time on the computer screen, it’s important to give our eyes a break. Try giving yourself 20-30 minute breaks, and going for a brief stroll, looking out the window, or looking inside the house at objects 20 feet away or more. This will help reduce strain on your eyes.
Have Good Contact Lens Hygiene
If you wear contact lenses, make sure to handle them properly using clean solution and remember to wash your hands before you put them in. Be sure to take your contacts out when swimming or sleeping.
Your eyes, like the rest of your body, need to be looked after to function properly. With these tips, you can be assured you’re doing everything you can to keep them healthy. Happy Vision Health Month!