Your eyes are undeniably one of the most essential parts of your body. They are directly connected to your brain and vital to help you process and learn information. However, despite being an important organ, many people only see their eye doctors if they believe something is wrong with it. Protecting your eyes means lowering your risk of developing vision loss-causing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts.
This Healthy Vision Month, we want to encourage everyone to take better care of their eye health through these tips.
Why Is It Important to Maintain Good Vision?
It Has a Direct Connection to Your Brain
Vision loss happens when there is a disruption in the vision process. Besides eye conditions, brain conditions and injuries can also result in partial or complete blindness. Issues with your retina, optic nerve, lens, macula, eyelids and cornea can contribute to vision loss. Vision problems can also occur due to irregularities in eyeball shape.
Once vision loss occurs, your brain will start creating new connections to improve the function of your other senses. As time passes, you will learn to depend on these senses to make up for your compromised vision. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least half of all blindness cases worldwide happen due to cataracts. It’s an eye condition that gradually clouds the lens of your eyes. Fortunately, it can be detected and treated early with regular appointments with your eye doctor. Blindness can be prevented by surgery replacing the affected lens.
It Can Affect Your Quality of Life
Over 7 million Americans suffer from vision impairment, and 1 million of these individuals are blind. Also, 93 million adults in the country have an increased risk of severe vision loss. These figures are only expected to go up as the aging population and chronic disease cases increase.
Moreover, your vision plays a major role in your quality of life. Studies show that vision impairment is related to a higher risk of depression, social isolation, falls and hip fractures. It leads someone to experience feelings of anxiety, fear and worry.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study revealed that one in four adults with vision loss reported depression or anxiety. The risk of severe anxiety or depression is five times higher in younger adults and individuals 65 and older. It can be because younger adults have not yet developed coping mechanisms or self-management skills.
When left untreated, anxiety can lead to depression. Anxiety causes a person to feel restless, have difficulty sleeping, find it hard to focus and become easily irritable. Meanwhile, depression results in frequent feelings of sadness, helplessness and worthlessness. It can cause a lack of interest in hobbies, appetite or weight changes, and fatigue. It’s essential that people with vision loss get examined for depression and anxiety. Addressing these issues can contribute to an improved quality of life.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Eyes?
Practice Good Hygiene
Frequent handwashing can help remove bacteria and viruses that can cause sickness. Did you know that regularly washing your hands with soap can prevent respiratory infections and diarrheal illnesses? Your optometrist will agree that it also goes a long way in saving you from eye infections.
Accidentally touching your eyes with dirty hands can result in staph, pink eye, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Temporary and permanent vision impairment can occur from these bacterial and viral infections. Fortunately, the simple task of washing your hands can help prevent them. Do your best not to touch areas surrounding your eyes if your hands are not clean.
Eat Nourishing Meals
Even small changes in your diet can help improve your eye health. Make sure to include different kinds of whole foods in your diet. Eating balanced meals brings down your risk of macular degeneration, cataracts and night blindness. It helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing the likelihood of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health conditions that can compromise your vision.
Kale, collard greens, spinach and other leafy green vegetables are rich in lutein and good for eye health. Add fish containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna and salmon, to your diet. Barley, quinoa and other whole grains high in B vitamins are also beneficial for your eyes. It’s the same for citrus fruits, nuts and seeds.
Handle, Wear and Store Your Contacts Safely
Only get contact lenses from your optometrist or eye doctor. Always follow the instructions of your eye care provider when it comes to handling, wearing, cleaning and storing your contacts. Keep in mind that you need to replace the lenses once they are expired and never reuse any solution. It’s also never a good idea to touch the tip of the solution bottle with your eye or hands.
Before touching your contacts, wash your hands first to avoid infections. Don’t wear them for extended periods, and clean them thoroughly if they fall on your counter or floor. Clean and disinfect your contact lens case, and store it where it’s less likely to get exposed to germs.
Exercise Regularly
Daily movement helps you avoid stress, regulates your blood sugar and encourages good blood flow. Exercising regularly is great for keeping your eyes healthy as it helps keep your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels at bay. Be sure to speak with your health care provider before starting a workout program.
Quit smoking
Smoking is a leading cause of several diseases throughout the human body. Over 16 million Americans suffer from smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, lung problems, diabetes and chronic bronchitis.
Your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and dry eye syndrome also increases if you smoke. Quitting this habit today can save yourself from several eye diseases that can affect your vision.
Give Your Eyes a Break
Today, people tend to spend a significant amount of their day in front of digital screens. For some, their jobs call for them to use their computers at least eight hours a day. Extended exposure to computer screens increases your likelihood of experiencing digital eye strain symptoms.
Headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, eye strain and neck and shoulder pain characterize computer vision syndrome (CVS) or digital eye strain. You can get relief by improving your lighting and cutting out glare from your screens. It helps to use good posture, address vision correction needs and practice proper viewing distances. Don’t forget to take breaks in between computer use. Experts recommend following the 20-20-20 rule where you look 20 feet away from your device for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
Wear Proper Eye Protection
Do you participate in contact sports, or does your job involve handling high-power tools or chemicals? If so, you must consistently wear proper eye protection. Thousands of injuries occur yearly due to work-related incidents. Some of the most common work-related eye injuries include corneal abrasions from foreign objects lodged in the eye. Ultraviolet or infrared radiation exposure, burns from steam, oil and grease splashes, and flying metal chips are other typical causes of eye injuries at work.
See Your Eye Doctor Regularly
Routine eye doctor visits aid in the early detection and treatment of several vision-threatening eye conditions, such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. When detected in their early stages, you can receive treatment and make lifestyle changes that can slow their progression. Remember that some diseases don’t often show symptoms until they are in their later stages or permanent eye damage has occurred.
Also, only an eye care professional knows if your vision has changed. Just because you can see clearly, it doesn’t mean you don’t need new glasses or contacts. Regular eye exams can help you determine if it’s time to replace your eyewear.
