Your eyes are an essential part of your body and they deserve to be taken care of. There are things that you can put in place to ensure your eyes stay healthy. How can you achieve this?

Well, I will show you some simple tips that you can keep your eyes healthy always. Read on and find out.

Eat Well

Good eye health can be determined by the food that you eat. This is because nutrients like lutein, Vitamin C and Omega 3 fatty acids can improve eye health. Therefore, the following foods should not be missing from your diet: fruits (such as oranges), green leafy vegetables, oysters, pork, eggs and nuts.

Additionally, by maintaining a balanced diet, you will prevent obesity, which can result in type 2 diabetes, which is responsible for blindness (diabetic retinopathy) – especially among adults. Food plays a key role in your eye health and that is why you should follow a healthy diet if you want your eyes to be healthy.

Quit Smoking

Are you a smoker and you find it challenging to quit? Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and Dry Eye Syndrome. Smoking might eventually claim your eyesight if you choose to continue. However, I know smoking can be very addictive, but there is always help. You can talk to your counsellor or sign-up to a smoking cessation programme.

Use Protective Eyewear

Our eyes can be exposed to hazardous materials ranging from chemical substances to environmental agents. So, what should you do? There are protective measures you can embrace to keep your eyes safe and healthy. Some of the substances that you use at home can irritate when they come in to contact with your eyes. Additionally, some games such as hockey might require you to wear special helmets (with integral eye protection).

Wear Sunglasses

Sunglasses protect you against UV rays which damage your eyes through muscle degeneration and cataracts. Sunglasses are among the things that you need to look for when you travel. There are special sunglasses which have been fitted with UV rays protectors which are ideal for outdoor environments.

Visit your Doctor Regularly

Do not wait until you find you have a serious problem before deciding you can visit your doctor for a checkup. I know we live in a digital world whereby we are surrounded by computers and mobile phones. These devices emit a lot of light into our eyes and with time you might develop eye problems (reactions within the eye can be poisonous to the photoreceptor cell molecules rendering them damaged). Therefore, before it is too late to visit your doctor/optician for an eyesight check and avoid exposing your eyes too much light which can damage your optic nerves.

Give your Eyes a Rest

It is healthy to give your eyes periodic rests to avoid straining. This applies to those people who usually spend long hours in front of their computers.

Giving your eyes a brief rest every 20 minutes goes a long way towards preventing eye strain. The 20/20/20 rule suggests giving your eyes a break by looking at something 20 feet away, but simply closing your eyes for the same period of time is also acceptable.

Do Eye Tests

You might never know if you have eye problems until you undertake a comprehensive dilated eye exam. By doing this, you might realise you can see better than using glasses. Some of the common eye problems do not show the early warning signs that can alert you to seek medical advice. Therefore, during this test, some drops are placed in the eye, which makes the pupil dilate thus allowing more light to enter.

This makes it possible for eye care professionals to examine the back of your eye for any disease or damage. By doing that they can determine if your eyes are in good condition or you need to take medication or other treatment. Such tests should not be ignored because you might be developing an eye problem which could have been prevented if it was diagnosed early.

Know your Family Eye Health History

It is important to make inquiries about family eye health history because eye health problems can be hereditary.

Researchers have mapped several genes for glaucoma and are starting to identify genes involved in macular degeneration. They also are making very significant progress in identifying the genes that cause retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease of the retina that causes night blindness and gradual vision loss.

By learning about your familial history, you will be able to find out some conditions affecting your family members and identify if you are at high risk of developing the same condition.

Clean your Hands and Contact Lens Correctly

Anytime you need to put in or out your contact lens it is important to clean them properly to avoid the risk of getting an infection. Do not be too negligent. Disinfect your contact lens before storing.

Summary

Eye care starts with your own efforts. When you are able to take care of your eyes it enables you to prevent the risk of getting certain infections.

Eyes, as you know, require you to be considerate and conscious of things that you expose them to. You might be practicing some unhealthy lifestyle choices that pose threat to your eyes. The tips I have provided above are practical and can help you greatly to maintain good eye health.