Everyone is born with two eyes. Most people use their eyes each day to see, so it is important that they continue to function properly. As you get older, it is even more important to make sure that your eyes are taken care of. Here are a few things you can do to care for your eyes.
Find out if there is family history of diseases of the eyes because early detection can benefit you greatly. When these conditions can be watched for because of heredity, it aids your eye doctor. By catching an eye problem sooner, you can spare your vision.
If you’re going out into strong sunshine for any length of time, make sure you wear a hat with a wide brim. Although sunglasses do protect your eyes to a certain extent, a hat will keep the sun out of them completely. Your eyelids can be particularly vulnerable to melanoma, something that you can avoid simply by sporting a hat.
Not all sunglasses are equal and some may do little to protect your eyes. Ensure they are able to block nearly 100 percent of UVB and UVA rays. You can even find fashionable options, but not all of these are well-made.
Avoid glare when possible, including that from your electronic devices. Glare is a concentration of bright light, so you know it is not good for your eyes. If you are using your device where glare is an issue, you should purchase an anti-glare screen protector for your laptop, phone or tablet.
Don’t strain the eyes for too long. When you strain your vision and focus on something, such as a computer or television screen, you typically forget to blink as much as you should. When you don’t blink enough, it means your eyes are getting the lubrication they need, which can lead to more serious problems.
As you probably already know, smoking is bad for your overall health. What you may not have known is that it is actually bad for your eye health, too. It can lead to a number of eye conditions, such as optic nerve damage, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Do your best to quit smoking to avoid these conditions.
Drink plenty of water. As with the rest of your body, your eyes require adequate hydration. If you consume adequate amounts of water, it will help you. Consider talking to your health care professional to find out how much water you need to consume each day based on your weight and activity levels.
Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. If you’re looking for another excuse to drink coffee in the morning, then you’ve found one. Studies have shown that drinking one or two cups of coffee each morning can actually help replenish tears that help keep eyes moist. Keep the limit at two cups or you’ll do more damage than good.
To help your eyes when using a computer, use a blinking technique. When you have been using the computer for a half hour or so, look away at something distant. While doing this, blink several times. This change in focus will allow your eyes to relieve strain and focus better on your computer screen.
Try to always wear sunglasses if you are going to be out in the sun. Having your eyes exposed to too much ultraviolet makes you more susceptible to getting macular degeneration and cataracts. Make sure you choose sunglasses that block from 99% to 100% of the UVB and UVA rays.
When you are working on computers or documents that give you eye strain, take frequent short breaks and walk around. This will increase the flow of blood in your system. This brings blood to the eyes and lessens the strain.
Learn to do some exercises for your eyes. Your eyes are controlled by muscles. Just the muscles in the rest of your body, they should be exercised to make them stronger. Alternating your focus between near and far objects for several times at once is a good way to work your eye muscles.
Visit your eye doctor on a regular basis. It is important to get your eye’s checked for their health and for your vision. If you are straining to see because your vision isn’t good or your glasses or contacts don’t help like they should, you can cause permanent damage.
Get a dilated eye exam regularly. When your eyes are dilated, your eye doctor can see inside your eye and detect any problems with the tissues behind your eyes. Common eye problems like glaucoma often produce no signs of warning until a person’s vision is impaired. A dilated eye exam can detect that early.
Make sure you exercise regularly. While physical exercise does not sound like it could better your eye health, it actually can. being overweight or obese can boost your chances of developing glaucoma or diabetic eye disease. Eye pressure can also be reduced by 20 percent if you exercise for at least 30 minutes.
In order to keep your eyes healthy, make sure your diet is rich in omega-3 fats. The omega-3 fats protect the little blood vessels in your eyes. They can also protect your eyes from dry eye syndrome and macular degeneration. Try to incorporate into your diet some foods high in omega-3 fats like sardines and wild salmon.
Find out information about your family’s eye health history. Many eye disease run in the family. Knowing this information will help the eye doctor determine if you are at higher risk of developing certain eye problems. If that is the case, then extra precaution will be recommended to monitor your eye health closely.
Start exercising. You may not realize this, but exercise helps a number of body functions and the eyes are also helped by exercise. When you exercise, your blood circulation improves. In fact, exercise helps reduce pressure in your eyes if you have glaucoma. Add some aerobic exercise to your life, and your eyes will be better for it.
After reading this article, you now have the knowledge you need to better care for your eyes. Make sure that you use the tips above to help you to start thinking about what you can do for your eyes. Try each of the tips to see which ones work best for you and your eyes.
Drink plenty of water. As with the rest of your body, your eyes require adequate hydration. If you consume adequate amounts of water, it will help you. Consider talking to your health care professional to find out how much water you need to consume each day based on your weight and activity levels.
Never work with any tools without wearing proper eye protection. Debris can fly into your eyes while you are working and seriously damage your eyes. Your goggles should be made from a strong polycarbonate material. Work goggles are easily found in any local hardware store, and they are very inexpensive.
Pay attention to the heating or air conditioning in your home. Heating and air systems are one the primary causes of dry eyes. Rather than not run the heater at all, you can simply run a humidifier to keep moisture circulating through the air. Moisture in the air helps prevent the eyes from getting dry and irritated.
Visit a vision specialist at least once a year for a comprehensive exam. Even if you can see fine, there may be issues going on. If left undetected, some of them can create huge problems down the line. Properly treated, you may be able to avoid vision challenges that were headed your way.
When working at a computer for a long period of time, position yourself so your eyes are sit at the same level with the top of the monitor. This permits you to look at a slight downward angle toward the screen. This minimizes eyestrain while also keeping your shoulders, neck and back from stiffening.