6 Important Habits That Keep Your Eyes Healthy

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We often ignore the importance of eye health. Occupied with our hectic everyday lives, we forget to eat healthily, schedule ophthalmologist appointments and take care of eye hygiene. Improper eye care can cause serious vision problems and diseases.

In this article, we discuss six crucial habits that will keep your eyes healthy.

1. Wear Sunglasses Outdoors

UV exposure adds up over time. It can cause pinguecula and pterygia – abnormal growth of tissue on the conjunctiva. Long-term exposure to UV radiation can increase the risk of developing a cataract, dry macular degeneration, and thickening of the eye tissue. 

Using polarized sunglasses regularly when outdoors can limit these risks. Lenses with UVA and UVB coatings will also reduce the risk of developing the diseases mentioned above.

2. Safely Handle and Store your Contacts

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 90% of users do not handle their contacts properly. Improper hygiene results in keratitis, the inflammation of the cornea. While keratitis is treatable, various eye infections can cause irreversible eye damage.

Therefore, wash your hands before applying or removing your contact lenses. Sterilize and clean your lens case regularly with hot water. If your contact falls on the floor, clean it thoroughly before using it again.

If your eyes are red and feel irritated, replace your contacts with glasses. That is how you give your eyes a break and let them recover.

3. Make an Eye Appointment

As you age, the risk of age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma increases. These illnesses are among the leading causes of blindness. Fortunately, they can be identified early and treated on time. That is why you should schedule regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist. 

Once an eye care professional identifies your problem, they can prescribe the right treatment. They will work with you to see whether the therapy is effective.

Some diseases, including diabetes and high blood pressure, increase the risk of vision problems. In that case, you should see an ophthalmologist at least once yearly.

4. Improve your Vision by Undergoing Ophthalmic Procedures

There is a wide range of ophthalmic procedures that can maintain and even improve your vision. Thanks to new research studies and technology advancements, there is a wide range of innovative eye surgeries available to patients. Talk to your ophthalmologist. They will suggest the right procedure to you.

For example, millions of people suffer from the dry eye syndrome. Some of its symptoms are eye fatigue, blurred vision, a burning sensation, discomfort, and redness. Your doctor will identify the cause of dry eyes and their severity. Based on them, they will recommend the right treatment to you.  

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, have you ever considered reducing your diopter? Lasik surgery may help you. According to professionals specializing in Lasik New York, that is one of the safest surgical methods. It efficiently corrects a variety of vision problems, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

5. Eat Foods that are Good for your Eyes

Many important vitamins and minerals found in foods can improve eye health. Some of them are beta carotene, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, zincs, and vitamins A, C, and E. Therefore, to keep your eyes healthy, you should tweak your nutritional habits and start eating healthily. 

Some ingredients that should be the core of your weekly shopping list are:

• Carrots
• Citrus fruits
• Green leafy vegetables
• Fish, especially salmon, tuna, and mackerel
• Eggs
• Grapes
• Dark berries

6. Protect your Eyes while Working

Do you spend lots of your time in front of your computer? Digital eye strain is a common problem the tech-savvy population faces. Its symptoms include dry eyes, blurred vision, double vision, eye itching, redness, etc.

Here are a few steps you should take to protect your eyes:

• Use the 20/20/20 rule. If you look at the screen for 20 minutes, you must look at something at least 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds.
• Make sure your room is well-lit. Make the right balance between natural lighting and ambient lights.
• Use high-resolution screens to minimize eye tiredness.
• Reduce blue light by changing the color temperature of your screen. If you are a glass wearer, invest in blue-light-blocking glasses.

Over to You

Do you ignore eye redness or itching? That is your immune system’s way of telling you there is something wrong with your vision. Whether it is a temporary irritation or a treatable eye problem, consult your ophthalmologist. 

To maintain and improve eye health in the long run, make these tips your daily habit.