Eyes allow us to visualize, perceive, work and enjoy the beautiful world around us. Be it enjoying a stunning sunrise, watching an engaging film or working on the computer for hours - our eyes facilitate it all.
But how often do we care for these priceless windows to the world? The increased exposure to mobile phones, tablets and laptops is straining our eyes like never before. Serious vision ailments like cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are rapidly growing in younger adults and children too. So how about giving your eyes some much needed TLC?
Without any further ado, here are 11 essential eye care tips you can't afford to neglect. Forget hefty medical bills - these simple, doable home remedies and preventive techniques are all you need to keep your vision sharp as an eagle and glowing like a kid into your golden years!
Eye Care Tips You Need to Know Today!
1. Year-Round Sunglass Protection
We tend to relegate sunglasses to summer attire, but our eyes need protection from harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of UV rays penetrate the clouds and can damage eyes over time leading to conditions like cataracts or macular degeneration. Not just UV rays, eyes also need shielding from glare which reflects off surfaces like snow, water or concrete.
So, get a good pair of 100% UV protective glasses which reduces the glare. Keep them on hand in the cold months for activities like winter sports, driving and simply walking about. It takes seconds to save eyes from harsh elements but years to undo the damage so safety is key!
2. Quit Smoking
Lighting up can lead to many health woes, including increased risk of vision loss. Harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke damage blood vessels in your eyes, leading to complications like age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Constant exposure to smoke irritates eyes, causing redness, swelling, itchiness and dry eyes. Nitrate-rich cigarettes rob eyes of precious antioxidants vital to nourish and repair damage.
Heavy smokers are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop macular degeneration and increase glaucoma risk. So if not for yourself, quit smoking for your eyes. It may take some work but the effort leads to a lifetime of clear vision and minimized risks of sight loss through degenerative eye diseases. A long overdue gift for your eyes, isn’t it?
3. Wear Your Glasses
If your vision is less than 6/6, wearing prescribed spectacles and contact lenses is a must. Blurred vision strains the eyes and can worsen problems like short-sightedness, caused by elongated eyeballs, or far-sightedness due to loss of lens flexibility. Prolonged uncorrected vision can also lead to headaches, squinting, fatigue and permanent vision impairment over time.
But simply wearing your glasses realigns light properly to the retina for clearer vision. Glasses reduce eye strain allowing pupils to relax, minimize risk of injury from bumping into objects and enhance work performance. So set aside vanity, boost safety by regularly wearing your spectacles or lenses, and halt preventable vision deterioration in its tracks!
4. Eat Right for Your Sight
You've heard it before - you are what you eat. And the adage holds true for eye health too. Eating a vitamin and antioxidant-rich diet-packed with leafy greens, citrus fruits, fish, nuts and carrots helps prevent age-related eye diseases. These foods contain vital nutrients and compounds like vitamin A, C, E, Omega 3s and lutein.
Vitamin A protects the eyes' surface tissues while the antioxidants ward off free radical damage; Omega 3s enhance nerve signaling and lutein accumulates in the retina to filter harmful blue light. A well-balanced diet fuels optimal cell functioning, helping eyes stay sharp and resilient to infections, glaucoma, cataracts and macular issues. So real food is real eye care too!
5. Avoid Eye Rubbing
It might provide temporary relief when your eyes itch or feel irritated, but vigorously rubbing your eyes can cause multiple issues. The friction from rubbing can scratch your cornea causing infections or vision problems. Forcefully rubbing over time can also loosen vitreous fibers in the jelly-like substance in our eyes, leading to worrisome floaters and flashes of light.
The habit also smears eye discharge and spreads germs from fingers into the eyes, increasing risk of pinkeye and inflammation. So, no matter how tempting it is, avoid vigorously rubbing eyes to preserve their shape, surface integrity and hygiene. Be gentle when removing contacts, wash hands before touching eyes and seek medical care if any concerning symptoms arise.
6. Prevent Eye Strain: Take Breaks
In our digital world, screen time is hard to avoid. But constant smartphone, TV and computer use can tire eyes, causing dryness, headaches, blurry vision and even neck and shoulder pain. Staring at pixels forces eyes to work harder to focus and strains muscles which control eye movement and lens curvature.
Take regular short breaks of 5-10 minutes per 30-60 minutes screen usage to let eyes relax, blink frequently and gaze at distant objects to prevent disruptions to normal tear film production. Breaks also discourage skipping of breaths and promote body oxygenation and blood circulation to nourished eyes. Remember to take frequent breaks and blink often to keep your vision relaxed and ready for more screen time!
7. Moisturize Your Eyes
Eyes depend on a protective tear layer to stay moist and dynamic. But weather fluctuations, health issues, screentime or pollutants can deplete tear quantity leading to irritating dry eyes. Unaddressed dryness strains the eyes attempting to focus, causes gritty, burning or itchy sensation, worsens vision clarity and increases infection susceptibility.
Applying tear-substitute lubricating eye drops or gels throughout the day nourishes eyes with moisture, relieving tiresome rubbing or blinking. The hydration soothes the sensitive surface, washes out irritants, jumpstarts natural tear production, maintains eye health and prevents untoward damage from untreated dryness. So replenish lost hydration for sparkling, energetic eyes!
8. Regular Eye Check-ups
Healthy vision may seem like an unending gift, but gradual changes can add up leading to deteriorating eyesight or seemingly sudden vision problems. Getting your eyes thoroughly examined once every year, helps monitor risks even when things look crystal clear. These routine assessments and screening tests evaluate focusing, distance/depth vision, eye muscle coordination, susceptibility to glaucoma, cataracts, retinal disorders and other concerns which may remain silently symptomatic initially.
Timely diagnosis from comprehensive eye exams allows effective treatment to curb or cure vision loss. So instead of waiting for a situation to turn grave, be proactive to safeguard precious sight with regular expert check-ups!
9. Keep your glasses/lenses in good condition
Eyeglasses and contact lenses are vital for correction or vision enhancement, but dirt or damage can hamper their benefits. Poor lenses impact clarity and scratched or faulty glasses disrupt light flowing to the eyes leading to eye strain, headaches, squinting etc. Improper contact lens cleaning introduces infection risk and tears.
So keep your eyewear in top shape with regular routine cleaning to eliminate dust, grime, fingerprints and tear film buildup; store them safely in cases when not worn. Get minor repairs like loose screws tightened or worn padding replaced to prevent scrapes from ill-fitting frames. Well-tended eyewear retains its vision boosting function effectively and for long without jeopardizing delicate eye tissues.
10. Prioritize Quality Sleep
Skimping on sufficient, quality sleep doesn’t just leave you sluggish but over time seriously impacts eye health too. Chronic sleep deprivation stresses the eyes attempting to function minus rejuvenating rest. Recurring lack of sleep also interferes with tear production causing irritating dry eyes.
7-9 hours of daily restful sleep optimizes eye cell repair, allows eyes to fully recharge their focusing ability and maintain tear layer integrity. So don’t underestimate sleep’s restorative powers for vibrant, healthy eyes. Prioritize nightly sleep to future-proof your sight!
11. Exercise for Eye Health
Along with diet and sleep, exercise also notably preserves and boosts eye health. Physical activity circulates nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to eyes, warding off age-related vision problems. Active people have 73% lowered risk for macular degeneration compared to inactive folks according to research.
Workouts also help maintain healthy body weight and blood sugar levels, minimizing obesity-linked and diabetic eye diseases like glaucoma or retinopathy. Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises benefit eyes by optimizing blood flow and circulation. Just 30 minutes per day can drastically uplift long-term eye welfare. However, improper form or excessive exercise can lead to unnecessary strain, indirectly impacting eye health. Consulting a specialist can ensure safe, effective practices to support both physical fitness and long-term eye wellness. So, get moving – if not for fitness, then for your eyesight’s sake!
Conclusion
So there you have it, 11 eye care tips ranging from diet and lifestyle modifications to safe hygiene practices for healthy peepers. While a yearly eye exam with an ophthalmologist is essential, a lot of eye wellness responsibility rests on us too. Implementing little vision-nourishing techniques every day like taking breaks from screens, staying hydrated and protected can add up to big changes. Your sight allows you to experience life's joys and beauty, so show your eyes some love. After all, eyes have got you covered every second of living – time to return the favor! And once eye health becomes second nature, you've scored the ultimate vision jackpot – clear sight with years of enchanted viewing ahead!
Your eyesight is precious. Don't take it for granted. At Krishna Netralaya, India's leading eye care hospital, our experienced ophthalmologists provide compassionate care and advanced treatments to help you keep your eyes healthy and vision sharp. Schedule a call today to get the right advice.
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Medical Director & Senior Eye Surgeon
One of the best Cataract, Cornea and Lasik eye surgeons in Gurgaon.
Exp: 20 Yrs
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The article gives tips for keeping your eyes healthy, like wearing sunglasses year-round, quitting smoking, wearing glasses if needed, eating well, avoiding rubbing your eyes, taking screen breaks, moisturizing, getting regular check-ups, keeping glasses clean, sleeping well, and exercising. It emphasizes the importance of these habits for preventing eye strain and serious conditions.