Essential Advice to Maintain Your Eye Health

Our vision is a truly incredible asset, providing us invaluable insight into the world around us. Yet, the true value of our eyes and the vision they provide are often taken for granted. We may occasionally acknowledge the fact that we should take care of our eyes – most likely by wearing a pair of sunnies on especially bright days. But few of us truly take the necessary action to maintain our eye health.

So, in this article, we’re taking a look at the best things you can do to take care of your eyes and ensure their health for years to come.

Attend Regular Eye Tests

This might sound obvious – particularly to those of us who wear glasses or contact lenses. But you might be surprised at how many people never attend eye tests. Yet, the importance of regular eye tests cannot be overstated.

Eye tests are not only important for monitoring your prescription, they also ensure our eyes are healthy. They can help to identify underlying eye conditions, like glaucoma, as well as wider health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure – even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms!

Experts recommend that you attend an eye test at least once every two years – even if you have perfect sight.

Be Aware of Your Family History

Some eye conditions are hereditary, meaning they can be passed down in our genes from our parents. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of any history of eye conditions in your family. This can help you spot warning signs early and allow you to take any necessary steps to seek treatment.

If you’re a parent, don’t be short-sighted (pun intended) when it comes to your child’s vision – particularly if other members of your family have suffered from eye conditions or have worn glasses from a young age.

Stop Smoking!

There are endless incentives to quit smoking, including escaping an increased risk of many cancers, and respiratory and heart diseases. But many of us overlook the impact smoking can have on our eyes. Yet, this unhealthy habit has terrible links to blindness.

In fact, smokers are twice as likely to develop age-related macular degeneration – a major cause of blindness – and two to three times more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers. So, maybe it’s finally time to kick the habit for good.

Wear Sunglasses – and not just on sunny days!

While most of us consider our sunglasses a must-have accessory on sunny days and curse ourselves when we leave them at home, most of us should actually be wearing them much more often.

The sun’s rays can be harmful to our eyes, even on cold and cloudy days! So, don’t just wait for the warmer days of summer to dust off your sunnies – keep them on hand all year round. And if you’re a parent, don’t forget to ensure your little ones’ eyes are protected too – their sensitive eyes are at even more risk than ours!

When choosing sunglasses, opt for a pair carrying ‘CE’ or ‘BS EN 1836:2005’ marks and you can have confidence that your eyes will be protected from damaging UVA and UVB rays.

Don’t Be Lazy With Your Lenses

If you’re one of the millions of contact lens wearers in the UK, you’re probably familiar with the irritation experienced when you wake up in the morning having forgotten to take out your lenses the night before. But while this might seem like a temporary irritation, it can actually have a significant impact only our eye health.

Leaving your lenses in while you shower, sleep, or swim can put you at a higher risk of contracting eye infections. Always remember not to exceed the recommended time for wearing your lenses and only handle your contacts with clean, dry hands. Finally, you should always clean your contacts using the solution recommended by your optometrist.

Of course, a simpler solution might be to do away with contact lenses altogether – and Laser Eye Surgery can help you do just that.

Protect Your Eyes from Physical Harms

For those who are often exposed to environments with a lot of dust or debris – whether it be due to your career or hobbies – it is essential to wear the appropriate eye protection. For example, always wear goggles when working with hazardous or airborne materials.

Eat Well, Stay Healthy

It can be easy to overlook the role of diet in maintaining healthy eyes. Yet, many of the nutrients accessed through our food are essential for healthy eyes. Eating healthily is therefore essential.

Leafy greens and citrus fruits are rich in zinc as well as Vitamins A and C, which are known to prevent age-related vision problems, including cataracts. Antioxidants are vital in maintaining overall eye health – and don’t forget the old wives’ tale that carrots can help us see in the dark!

As you can see, there are plenty of things we can all do to help keep our eyes healthy. But if you want to improve your vision without the hassle of glasses or contact lenses, it might be time to consider Laser Eye Surgery. Get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today to learn more.