Tips For Eye Health
Your eye health is important. Currently, many Americans have been and continue to work or attend school remotely. This means both adolescents and adults are experiencing more screen time usage, making eye health that much more crucial. March also happens to be Save Your Vision Month, so here are some tips and tricks on how you can improve your eye health while helping to prevent damage and disease.
Why Is Eye Care Important
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), issues with your eyes are common, especially as you age or as a result of other health issues. If you live long enough, you’re very likely to experience a condition affecting your eyes and vision. However, early detection and treatment are key to minimizing the long-term or deteriorating effects of eye disease. Vision loss and impairment can begin at any age. It’s important to have regular eye exams and vision screenings beginning as early as possible to maintain eye health.
How To Improve Your Eyecare
Eye Protection
No matter the activity, you should be making sure that your eyes are well-protected. Sunglasses help protect your eyes against UV (ultraviolet) rays from sunlight, and they can help stop your eyes from developing cataracts. Other forms of eye protection also include wearing safety glasses/goggles during activities that involve objects or dangerous substances that have the potential to fly into your eyes. Over 40% of yearly eye injuries happen during recreational or sports activities. Eye protection can help keep you from being seriously injured in case of an accident and encourage eye health.
Developing Healthy Habits
Eating, exercising and avoiding bad habits like smoking can actually help keep you from developing serious eye health issues. Diabetes and smoking may not be your first thoughts when you think of what can cause things like vision loss. However, diabetes and smoking can lead to vision loss between blurred sight and blindness. The good news is that 90% of diabetes-caused blindness is preventable, and you can discuss with your medical provider ways to quit smoking for your eye health.
Correct Contact Lens Care
Many people wear contact lenses to help correct their vision. What they may not do is correctly take care of their contacts, which could result in eye infections that cause severe and lasting effects on their eye health. If you wear contacts, it’s important you:
- Never sleep with them in
- Always wash your hands before and after replacing them
- Do not swim or shower while wearing your contacts
- Always properly clean them with the correct amount of fresh cleaning solution – never reuse or top off the old solution
20-20-20 Rule
Giving your eyes a rest from staring at electronic screens has become increasingly important during Covid-19. More adults and children are working from home and using their computers, which could impact your eye health. Everyone should be giving their eyes periodic breaks using the 20-20-20 rule. What this rule means is that you can help reduce eye strain by taking a break every 20 minutes to stare at an object 20 feet away for approximately 20 seconds.
If you believe you may be at risk for health concerns like diabetes or would like to discuss with a medical provider about how to quit smoking, our CCMH Physicians want to help! Make an appointment today: ccmhhealth.com/providers.
Disclaimer
The Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not provide specific medical advice for individual cases. Comanche County Memorial Hospital does not endorse any medical or professional services obtained through information provided on this site, articles on the site or any links on this site.
Use of the information obtained by the Comanche County Memorial Hospital website does not replace medical advice given by a qualified medical provider to meet the medical needs of our readers or others.
While content is frequently updated, medical information changes quickly. Information may be out of date, and/or contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. For questions or concerns, please contact us at contact@ccmhhealth.com.
Sources:
AAO (American Academy of Ophthalmology).
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries-protective-eyewear
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/preventing-injuries
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/risk/tips.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/contactlenses/protect-your-eyes.html
https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/risk/age.htm
WHO (World Health Organization).
https://www.who.int/health-topics/blindness-and-vision-loss#tab=tab_1