Six Easy Ways to Love Your Eyes
It’s no surprise we are all about taking care of our eyes. Here are our top recommendations for this month and the entire year to really boost your eye health. These tips are easy to implement and maintain and can have you feeling better and seeing clearer throughout this coming year.
So let us take a look at six easy ways to love your eyes this winter and beyond.
1. Wear Sunglasses Consistently
We all know wearing sunscreen protects our skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. Putting on a pair of sunglasses helps to protect our eyes from the same risk. It may be tempting to skip on a slightly overcast day, but the brightness doesn’t directly correlate to radiation.
UV radiation can raise the chance of developing an eye disease, especially cancer and cataracts. While extremely bright lights, in general, like direct sun, can slowly damage the retina and optic nerve.
When selecting a pair of sunglasses, go for a pair that offers complete eye coverage and blocks both UVA and UVB radiation. Never pick up a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t say 100% UV protection.
Blocking both is essential to maintaining eye health. And when possible, reach for a polarized pair to give optimized protection that blocks light reflecting off surfaces at odd angles.
2. Eat Healthy Foods
The best foods for eyesight are high in particular nutrients or vitamins. A diet that is full of healthy foods for our eyes won't give you superhuman vision or cure eye conditions, but it can help our eyes' overall health. It also means your body stays healthier. Foods that especially help promote eye health include:
- Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli.
- Eggs
- Fish
- Citrus fruit
- Carrots
- Almonds or peanuts
Many eye conditions have been linked to health conditions such as diabetes. That means a good diet that keeps you healthy and also keeps your eyes healthy. That can have a significant impact down the road.
3. Give Your Eyes a Break
There is often no avoiding screens. From school, work, and our favorite forms of entertainment, we, by habit or need, spend a significant amount of time every day in front of screens. And all this time spent in front of screens can be tough on our eyes. Many Americans experience some form of Computer Vision Syndrome, which leads to headaches, dry eyes, and even blurred vision.
Give your eyes a break or at least an easier time with the following steps:
- Take frequent breaks. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Furthermore, get up from your desk every hour for at least five minutes for a short walk and break from looking at a screen completely.
- Text Size. Though you want to fit everything on one screen, it is better for your eyes to increase your computer’s text size.
- Minimize Glare: If your computer screen has a glare, turn it away from the light or window.
- Practice Posture: Make sure your posture supports your efforts by centering your computer screen or laptop in front of you, about an arms-length away, and just below your natural eye level. Sit up straight and use a good chair as well.
- Reduce the Light: Do not sit in the dark but try to reduce the amount of overhead and side-to-side light.
4. Wash Your Hands
Even though we shouldn’t, most of us instinctually rub our eyes. Make sure to keep your hands washed and cleaned regularly to help prevent introducing bacteria or dirt.
Keeping your hands clean is especially important if you wear contact lenses. Our eyes are one way many viruses get into the body, so give your immune system a little help and keep your eyes free of irritants.
If you rub because of dry, itchy eyes, consider asking your eye doctor about available treatments like eye drops or procedures like LipiFlow.
5. Remember Eye Protection
Most eye injuries across all ages come from accidents that occur during sports, hobbies, or other physical activities. Eye trauma can generally be categorized into three categories: blunt, penetration, and radiation. Eyes are sensitive, and even what might appear to be a slight issue at first can hide more substantial damage or put you at greater risk of problems as you age.
Protective eyewear comes in a wide array of styles and types, depending on your needs. From typical safety glasses and goggles for hobbies to stylish sports glasses you might see on TV. Statistics show that 90% of sports-related eye injuries can be avoided by wearing eye protection.
6. Schedule an Eye Care Appointment
You should have your eyes examined at least annually, even if you have 20/20 vision. Many vision problems have very gradual onsets, and having a regular check-up allows you to set a baseline for your normal vision and catch those changes early when they can be most easily addressed.
If you notice something changing between visits, be sure to schedule your next appointment sooner.
More Resources and Specialist Expertise
Asheville Vision and Wellness has been helping patients throughout the mountains of western North Carolina with their eye care needs since 1989. We provide comprehensive eye care from annual exams, management of chronic conditions, glasses, and contact lenses.
If you would like more information on how to love your eyes and protect your eyesight, you can check out further reading on the topics mentioned above in our articles on the following subjects.
- Eye Healthy Foods
- Preventing Computer-Related Eye Strain
- Polarized Sunglasses
- LipiFlow Dry Eye Treatment
- Sporting Eye Protection
Come see what sets us apart and put yourself on a path to healthier eyes. You can conveniently schedule an appointment online or call on weekdays during our office hours. We would be more than happy to help determine a care plan that helps keep you seeing clearly.