There are things you can do to help keep your eyes healthy and make sure you are seeing your best:
Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Your diet should include plenty or fruits and vegetables, especially deep yellow and green leafy vegetables. Eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut can also help your eyes.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or having obesity increases your risk of developing diabetes. Having diabetes puts you at higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
Get regular exercise. Exercise may help to prevent or control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These diseases can lead to some eye or vision problems. So if you exercise regularly, you can lower your risk of getting these eye and vision problems.
Wear sunglasses Sun exposure can damage your eyes and raise your risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Protect your eyes by using sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Wear protective eye wear.To prevent eye injuries, you need eye protection when playing certain sports, working in jobs such as factory work and construction, and doing repairs or projects in your home.
Avoid smoking. Smoking increases the risk of developing age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts and can damage the optic nerve.
Know your family medical history. Some eye diseases are inherited, so it is important to find out whether anyone in your family has had them. This can help you determine if you are at higher risk of developing an eye disease.
Know your other risk factors. As you get older, you are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions. It is important to know you risk factors because you may be able to lower your risk by changing some behaviors.
If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Wash your hands well before you put in or take out your contact lenses. Also follow the instructions on how to properly clean them, and replace them when needed.
Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a lot of time using a computer, you can forget to blink your eyes and your eyes can get tired. To reduce eyestrain, try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.
Everyone needs to have their eyesight tested to check for vision and eye problems. Children usually have vision screening in school or at their health care provider's office during a checkup. Adults may also get vision screenings during their checkups. But many adults need more than a vision screening. They need a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Getting comprehensive dilated eye exams is especially important because some eye diseases may not have warning signs. The exams are the only way to detect these diseases in their early stages, when they are easier to treat.
The exam includes several tests:
If you have a refractive error and are going to need glasses or contacts, then you will also have a refraction test. When you have this test, you look through a device that has lenses of different strengths to help your eye care professional figure out which lenses will give you the clearest vision.
At what age you should start getting these exams and how often you need them depends on many factors. They include your age, race, and overall health. For example, if you are African American, you are at higher risk of glaucoma and you need to start getting the exams earlier. If you have diabetes, you should get an exam every year. Check with your health care provider about if and when you need these exams.
Take Care with Screen Time
Looking at computer, tablet, TV, and smartphone screens may make your eyes tired and cause eyestrain. Blue light from screens may also damage your eyes. Follow the 20-20-20 rule when logging screen time. This means for every 20 minutes you look at device screen, you should gaze at something that is at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Use good ergonomics when you are on the computer. Make sure that the screen is at eye level or slightly lower. Sit so you are at approximately 25 inches away from the screen. Make sure you have adequate lighting when you are on the computer. Screen filters are available to minimize glare.
Protect Your Eyes from the Sun
You know that ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can burn your skin, but did you know they can also harm your eyes? Potential eye health problems that result from excessive UV sun exposure include cornea burns, cataracts, and macular degeneration. You may even develop skin cancer on the eyelids. Always wear sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB ray when you are outside, even on cloudy days. Effective sunglasses do not have to be expensive. Read the label to see the level of protection against UV exposure that they offer. Remember that certain things reflect UV rays including concrete, sand, snow, and water. You can also rely on wide-brimmed hats and umbrellas to shield your eyes from harmful UV rays.
Guard Your Eyes at Work and at Home
Eye injuries are common at home and on the job. Every day in the U.S., approximately 2,000 people injure their eyes at work and require medical treatment. Experts estimate that more than 90% of eye injuries may be prevented if people wore adequate eye protection. Wear safety glasses when you are working on projects at work or at home that may send debris airborne and into your eyes. Wear protective glasses or goggles when playing sports that put your eyes at risk like lacrosse, baseball, softball, basketball, and racket sports. Polycarbonate lenses offer maximum protection because they are more resistant to impact than other materials.
Nourish Your Eyes
The same foods that are protective of blood vessels in your heart are also good for those in your eyes. Eat plenty of whole foods including grains, dark leafy greens, and citrus fruits. Nutrients like zinc, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin are especially protective for your eyesight. They help ward off age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or slow its progression if you already have it. Zinc-rich foods include oysters, poultry, and lean meat. Vegetarian sources of zinc include beans, peanuts, and peas. Beta-carotene is found in brightly-colored yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. Your body turns into vitamin A that benefits eyesight. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens. Lower amounts of these nutrients are found in corn, green peas, broccoli, romaine lettuce, and eggs. Ask your eye doctor whether you would benefit from taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement formulated to protect eye health.
Tend to Your Eyes
Do not suffer if you have eye problems. It you suffer from red, itchy eyes, reach for antihistamines or soothing eyedrops. Apply cold compresses over your eyes to reduce symptoms. Remove dust or dirt from your eyes by rinsing them with clean water or a saline solution formulated for the eyes. See your ophthalmologist right away if you develop potentially serious problems like eye pain, swelling, secretions, or unusual sensitivity to light. If you develop vision problems like flashes of light, dark floating spots, partial vision loss, blindness, or other problems with your eyesight, see your eye doctor right away.
Practice Proper Contact Lens Care
Protect your eyesight by taking good care of your contact lenses. Wash your hands thoroughly before taking contact lenses in or out. Only use lens cleaner and drops that are recommended by your ophthalmologist or optometrist. Wash and dry your case after every use. Replace the case at least every 2 to 3 months. Remove your contact lenses before you go swimming. Take your lenses out before you go to sleep at night. Do not wear lenses longer than is recommended. Follow the lens replacement schedule that is recommended by your ophthalmologist or optometrist.
Watch Out for Other Health Conditions
Health conditions not normally associated with the eyes can affect vision. Diabetes and high blood pressure can cause changes in blood vessels that diminishes blood flow to the eyes. This, in turn, may cause vision to deteriorate. Diabetic retinopathy is a common cause of vision loss. Autoimmune diseases including lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Graves' disease may affect the eyes. Other conditions that can affect the eyes include aneurysms, cancer, lung disease, and thyroid disease. Make sure your eye doctor knows your current and past health history as well as your family history of eye diseases and other serious conditions. Schedule eye exams regularly to detect and address any changes in your eyesight as soon as possible.
Monitor Medication Side Effects
Beta blockers, diuretics, antiarrhythmics, statins, antipsychotics, antidepressants, steroids, pain medications, antihistamines, sleep aids, and many other medications can affect your vision. Pay attention to how you feel if your doctor prescribes medication for you. Be aware of any potential side effects and report them immediately to your doctor. Visual distortion and eye symptoms from medications may range from mild to severe. Side effects of medication may include dry eyes, watery eyes, sensitivity to light, blurry vision, double vision, eye puffiness, and droopy eyelids.
Beware of Eye Makeup
Liquid and creamy eye makeup may harbor bacteria. Toss out eye makeup and mascara every 3 months. If you get an eye infection, immediately throw away all of your eye makeup and make an appointment with your eye doctor. Do not share makeup with others and steer clear of store samples. If you have allergies, choose hypoallergenic products and be careful when you use new products. Try one new product at a time so you can easily monitor for potential allergic reactions. Thoroughly cleanse and dry your skin before applying makeup. Take your makeup off and wash your face before going to sleep at night.
Schedule Regular Eye Exams
If you want good eyesight and healthy eyes, see your eye doctor regularly for an eye exam. Even people who do not wear eyeglasses should get their eyes and vision checked regularly. Most people need an eye exam at least every other year between the ages of 18 and 60. People over the age of 60 and those who wear contact lenses or who have medical conditions that may affect the eyes -- including high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family or personal history of eye disease -- should have an eye exam annually. Eye exams can detect problems like farsightedness, presbyopia, astigmatism, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. The doctor can examine your retina, macula, and other parts of your eyes. The doctor will also assess your sight during the exam.