EiR Blog
A Blog For Those Affected By Environmental And Invisible Illnesses Written By Fellow Survivors
How to Protect Your Eyes and Maintain Good Sight
Eyes are one of the organs we are naturally inclined to protect. Eye is extremely important for everyone. Even a small eye issue, if left untreated, could lead to more serious issues like permanent vision loss. So, follow the below health tips for maintaining good eye health:
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Wear Sunglasses
In harsh sunlight, do wear protective eyewear like sunglasses. It’s useful to keep protective eyewear like goggles and safety shields around the house just in case. Wear protective eyewear when engaging in activities that require them. If you are undertaking DIY projects or are handling chemicals at home, protective eyewear is a must. You can buy protective eyewear over the counter from pharmacies, sporting goods or convenience stores.
Visit an Eye Doctor or an Optometrist
An optometrist is not a medical doctor. But these are professionals who can conduct comprehensive eye examinations and diagnose conditions such as myopia or presbyopia. These are the doctors you go to get prescriptions for glasses or contact lenses. Visiting an optometrist is good for everyday eye care needs. However, for medical diagnoses of eye conditions, you need to visit an eye doctor, or an ophthalmologist. Opticians are people who are certified to work in eyeglasses shops and are not proper licensed to conduct eye exams.
Eat Fruits and Veggies
Your eye health largely depends on what you eat, especially as you get older. Eat carrots, which your grandma has probably told you as good for your vision. In addition, you also need to eat adequate amounts of dark leafy greens like spinach. Avoid consuming excessive amounts of sugar. Too much sugar puts you at risk for diabetes, which in turn puts you at risk for permanent vision loss. Maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk for diabetes.
Learn to Look Away from Computer Screens
Eyes do need rest. Concentrating on a bright screen for prolonged periods can cause eye fatigue. When you concentrate, you may forget to blink unconsciously. It causes dryness and fatigue on the eye. So, learn the 20-20-20 rule of resting your eyes. For every 20 minutes you are in front of a screen, look away for about 20 feet in front of you for about 20 seconds. It’s a known method for reducing eye strain.
Quit Smoking
If you are a smoker, quit smoking right away to protect your eyes. If you are a non-smoker, don’t ever start smoking. Smoking causes an array of health problems. It’s not well known that smoking can increase your risk for developing cataracts, age-related macular degeneration or optic nerve damage. Damaged optic nerves lead to complete blindness. So, stay away from the cigarettes.
Wash Hands before Touching the Eyes
Do not touch your eyes with unwashed hands, ever. You must wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your eyes to prevent the spread of an infection. Do not use hand sanitizer and touch your eyes. Hand sanitizer contains alcohol and other chemicals that can irritate your eye.
Follow the above tips to make sure your eyes remain as healthy as possible as you age.
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Comment last edited on about 5 years ago by Maff MaffWhen it comes to protecting your eyes, it starts with getting a comprehensive eye exam. The majority of vision problems do not have symptoms in their early stages. Due to this, many people would only find out about their vision problems by the time it's too late for any corrective measures. That's why many people tend to lose their vision. In order to prevent this from happening to you, there are different guidelines as to how frequently you should get an eye exam, but try to get one at least once every two years if you do not have a history of vision problems.
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