Protect your eyes from the sun
The most obvious way to protect your eyes from sun damage is to wear sunglasses when you’re outdoors in the sun—even on cloudy days! Wearing good quality sunglasses that offer full UVA and UVB protection will reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Look for lenses that block 99-100% of UV rays and make sure they fit snugly around the sides of your face so no light gets through.
Keep Hydrated
Being hydrated is important for your health, and your eyes are no exception. There are 3 layers to your tears: an oily layer, a middle watery layer and an inner layer that contains mucus. These 3 layers are vital to keep your eyes comfortable, and to help light enter your eyes easier. When you’re dehydrated, these layers become disrupted and can cause dry eyes. Some dry eye symptoms include burning, stinging, irritation, and blurred vision.
Eat Smart
Eating a diet rich in antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and bioflavonoids can help keep your eyes in top shape. You should also limit or avoid foods that are high in saturated fat or trans fat which can increase inflammation and negatively impact eye health. Make sure you get enough leafy greens such as kale or spinach, which are packed with nutrients
like lutein that promote healthy vision.
Avoid Smoking and Tobacco use
If you smoke, consider quitting. Studies show that smoking increases the risk for a myriad of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye disease. Quitting improves the chances of avoiding eye disease. Smoking also increases inflammation in the body and in the eyes. People who quit smoking will have a 6.7% reduced risk of developing these diseases after one year. The risk drops by another 5% after 5 years.
Rest Your Eyes
If you work at a computer all day, it’s important to give your eyes regular breaks from staring at the screen. Take a break every 20 minutes or so by looking away from the screen for about 20 seconds – even better if you can focus on something far away like trees outside a window. This will give your eyes time to reset and adjust back to their natural resting state.
Some Extra Tips for Healthy Vision
Cut Back On-screen Time
Limiting the amount of time spent looking at screens such as TVs, tablets, phones and computers is critical for protecting eye health in the long run. Give yourself time away from devices each day – even if it’s just 15 minutes – so you don’t strain your eyes too much over long periods of time.
Visit Your Doctor Immediately
Remembering to visit an optometrist on an annual basis is one of the best things you can do for your eye health; these examinations are designed specifically to detect any problems early on before they become more serious issues down the road. During these exams, be sure to tell them about any concerns or issues you may have noticed during daily activities so they can assess them accurately with specialized tests and equipment.
Practice Good Eye Hygiene
If you wear contact lenses, make sure to follow your eye doctor’s advice on cleaning and taking care of your contact lenses and don’t overwear them to avoid infections. Washing hands is vital before putting on your contact lenses.
Always be careful with eye makeup, do not share eyeliner or mascara with others and make sure to replace mascara and eyeliner every 3 months to avoid bacteria buildup that can cause serious eye infections. It’s also best to choose eye makeup products with gentler ingredients.
Take Control of Your Eye Health
Cut Back On-screen Time
Overall, there are several simple yet effective habits that anyone can implement into their daily routine in order to maintain good eye health – from wearing sunglasses outdoors regularly to eating nutrient-rich foods and visiting an optometrist annually – following these tips will go along way towards keeping our vision clear and sharp! The key is stay disciplined with our routines, so we don’t neglect our eye care needs over time; if we do this then we’ll be able enjoy healthy vision well into old age!
Take control of your eye health and start by scheduling an eye exam at Seaview Optical. We offer curated luxury eyewear and eye exams using the latest eye care technology. Schedule an eye exam today!
