Eye of the Tiger: How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

By Guest Blogger Diana S.

Eye of the Tiger: How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

 

Having a good vision and healthy eyes is an important part of your overall health and good quality of life. Even though most of us don’t think about our eyes until we start seeing (or rather not seeing) some changes, prevention is a much better option than treatment. There are many things you can do to keep your eyes in tip-top shape and maintain good vision well into your senior years.

Eat healthy foods

Ever since you were little, you’ve been listening how carrots are good for your eyesight, but that’s not the only veggie that will keep your eyes healthy. Vegetables like dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, and kale) will make you see like a falcon. Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna, salmon, and halibut, also have many health benefits for your eyes.

Protect your eyes from UV rays

During a sunny day, always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Constant exposure to UV rays can cause cataracts, pinguecula and other eye diseases. However, not all sunglasses have UV protection, so read the label carefully and choose the ones that will provide protection against the harmful UV rays.

Wear eye protection

Every time you engage in sports, DIY projects or activities around the house that can be harmful to your eyes make sure to wear appropriate eye protection, such as safety glasses. Choose eyewear that is made out of polycarbonate that is strong enough to offer good eye protection. Also, never skip wearing your eye protection in your workplace and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

Don’t smoke

Smoking is as bad for your lungs, heart and throat as it is bad for your eyes. Many studies link smoking to the development of age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage. All of these eye diseases potentially lead to blindness! So, ditch your smoking habit, or better yet, never start in the first place.

Rest your eyes regularly

Resting your eyes is essential, especially if you spend a lot of time doing activities that are strenuous to the eye, like working at the computer. If you focus too much on one task, you might forget to blink and overwork your eyes which causes headaches, shoulder pain and dry eyes. In order to rest your eyes, you can try the 20-20-20 rule. Look away at about 20 feet in the distance every 20 minutes and don’t move your eyes for 20 seconds. This reduces eye fatigue and relaxes your eyes.

Don’t ignore the signs of vision deterioration

As soon as you start noticing some changes in your eyesight, make an appointment with your doctor. If you notice signs like hazy or double vision, difficulty seeing in low light, eye redness, flashes of light, floaters or eye swelling and pain, don’t ignore them for a second.

Have regular eye exams

According to recent studies, about half of Australia’s population wears glasses or contacts on a regular basis. Additionally, the number of preventable eye diseases is rising as well. All of these numbers could be significantly lower if people went for regular eye exams, at least once in two years. Your optometrist or ophthalmologist can also make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date. So, don’t take any risks and book an eye test in Sydney the first chance you get.

Know your family’s eye problem history

Knowing your family’s history of eye conditions is very important for your eye health since many of these conditions can be hereditary. If you know you fall into a high-risk category, you will be able to react in time and take proper care of your eyes.

Even though there is no step you can take to completely prevent eye diseases and vision deterioration, healthy lifestyle, eye protection and regular eye tests will certainly help keep your peepers in top condition.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.