Five Tips for Improved Ocular Health
It's no secret that our eyesight is essential. We rely on our vision to do everything from reading and writing to driving and watching television. So, it only makes sense that we would want to do everything to keep our eyes healthy and functioning correctly.
Unfortunately, many people don't realize the importance of eye health until they experience problems with their vision. However, you can do many things to keep your eyes healthy and reduce your risk of developing vision problems. Here are five easy tips.
Wear Sunglasses
Sunglasses aren't just for looking cool, they can play an important role in protecting your eye health. Be careful of which sunglasses you choose. Some less expensive sunglasses may have UV protection only as a coating, which can come off over time.
Quality sunglasses, such as Maui Jim, have the UV protection in the lens material, so it doesn’t lose effectiveness over time.
Eat Healthy Foods
What you eat directly impacts your overall health, including the health of your eyes. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially those containing antioxidants like Vitamins A and C, can help reduce your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration.
Other eye-healthy foods include salmon, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale.
Take a Screen Break
If you spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen, you may be putting your eyes at risk for vision problems. Computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain, can cause several symptoms like dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
To help reduce your risk of developing computer vision syndrome, take a break from your screen every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You should also try to position your computer screen to be at eye level and adjust the brightness and contrast settings to reduce glare.
Give Your Eyes a Rest
If you wear contacts, it's important to give your eyes a break from them every now and then. Contact lenses can cause dry eyes, irritation, and other problems if not used properly.
Most experts recommend taking a break from contact lenses at least one day a week. If you wear them every day, try to go without them for two consecutive days each week.
It’s also important not to sleep in contact lenses. Risk of infection goes up anytime you are sleeping in lenses. Daily disposables are the healthiest safest contact lens option because you put a fresh clean contact lens in every day!
See Your Doctor Regularly
Finally, it's important to see your doctor regularly for an eye exam. Under normal circumstances, adults should have their eyes checked every two years. If patients have a history of vision problems or if they have diabetes, they may need to come in more often.
By following these simple tips, you can help keep your eyes healthy and reduce your risk of developing vision problems. Contact our team at Key-Whitman Eye Center to schedule an appointment.
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