Caring for your eyes is an excellent way to help keep them healthy. Specific eye care habits can reduce your odds of developing specific conditions, while others can keep your eyes comfortable during changing environmental conditions.
Fortunately, creating an effective eye care routine is typically far simpler than most people expect. If you are prioritizing your health this new year, here are a few simple ways to care for your eyes every day.
Wash Your Hands Regularly (and Avoid Touching Your Eyes)
Regular hand washing helps remove bacteria, dust, and dirt, reducing the odds of transfer if you contact your eye area. By also avoiding touching and rubbing your eyes, you make it even less likely that any substance or bacteria will infect your eyes. Plus, not rubbing can reduce irritation if anything is in your eye, making injuries less likely, too.
Adopt Healthy Eating Habits
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and drinking enough water can improve your eye health. Remaining hydrated can prevent your eyes from getting dry and irritated. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, and others also help ensures your eyes have what they need to stay healthy.
Quit Smoking
Smoking isn’t just harmful to your lungs; it also negatively impacts your eyes. Smokers are more at risk of developing certain conditions, including cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and others. Smoking also leads to optic nerve damage that can reduce your visual acuity over time, even if it doesn’t lead to another condition. By quitting, you reduce your risk significantly, so it’s worth doing.
Where UV-Blocking Glasses
Ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your eyes in several ways. Corneas are susceptible to sunburns which, along with being uncomfortable, can potentially lead to vision issues. Exposure to UV rays is also associated with conditions like photokeratitis and age-related macular degeneration.
By wearing UV-blocking sunglasses or getting UV-blocking coatings on regular glasses lenses, you can filter out harmful UV light. Coupling those with hats or visors can also make the approach more effective.
Use Screens Correctly
Digital devices and screens can lead to a variety of eye issues. Improper distances, excessive glare, or extended durations classically lead to problems like eye strain and dry eye.
When you’re using screens, keep the brightness and angle appropriate. For computer screens, that generally means keeping the monitor about 20 degrees below eye level and the distance close to arm’s length. For any screen, make sure you look away every 20 minutes and focus on a spot that’s about 20 feet away from your position. It’s also wise to take breaks regularly, giving you a chance to move around and rest your eyes before returning.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patients’ eyes are our priority. We recommend that everyone get their eyes checked annually by an eye doctor to ensure eye health and early detection of any problems. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today, we’d love to see your family for a checkup.
