Do you take good care of your eyes? If you’d like to preserve their health for as long as possible, make sure you follow these eight pieces of advice.
1. Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a sunhat or a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays, which can cause certain ocular health problems (notably, cataracts and keratitis).
2. Wear safety glasses. Whether you’re playing sports, doing manual labour or handling dangerous chemicals, always wear safety glasses.
3. Eat healthy. A healthy and balanced diet is crucial to providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep your eyes healthy.
4. Exercise. Adopt an active lifestyle and try to keep a healthy weight. This way, you’ll considerably diminish your risk for developing conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which can affect your vision.
5. Stop smoking. Smoking can lead to or exacerbate a number of eye problems, including age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy and others.
6. Anticipate ocular fatigue. If you work at a computer, rest your eyes by taking short breaks. Look away from your screen at least once every 20 to 30 minutes, and use appropriate lighting.
7. Hydrate your eyes. To prevent ocular dryness, make it a habit to lubricate your eyes often — use artificial tears if necessary.
8. Visit your optometrist regularly. Consulting a vision specialist is the best way to detect and treat most troubles related to your eyes. Go see one!