It’s Healthy Vision Month, a great time to remind you to take steps to protect your eye health, reduce your risk of eye disease, and keep seeing clearly. Here are some tips to ensure that you’re able to keep enjoying the activities you love with clear and healthy vision.
Eat Right & Stay Active
Your eyes and vision are impacted by your overall health, therefore issues like high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes can increase your chances of certain eye diseases, which left untreated, could lead to vision loss. So, it’s important to eat a healthy diet with lots of dark leafy greens and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids. You should also stay active, try to maintain a healthy weight, and drink plenty of water.
Quit Smoking
According to a recent report, smokers are up to four times as likely as non-smokers to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Additional studies say that smoking also increases the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye syndrome. If you smoke, this is another great reason to quit.
Wear Sunglasses & Protective Eyewear
UV rays can, over time, damage your eyesight. Be sure to wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of both UVA and UVB light. Also, many people go blind each year due to accident or injury, so it is important for your eye safety to always wear protective eyewear when playing sports, doing home repairs or yardwork, and on the job if required.
Manage Screen Time
Follow the 20/20/20 rule for screen time to give your eyes a break. For every 20 minutes looking at a screen, take a 20-second break and focus 20 feet away. This will help prevent eye fatigue, strain, and lessen symptoms of dry eye.
Know Your Family History
Talk to your family members about their eye health to see if they may have eye issues or conditions that are hereditary. Eye problems like AMD, cataracts, and glaucoma are all known to have a genetic component, so if someone in your family has issues, you’ll know to seek preventative care and/or early treatment.
Get Regular, Comprehensive Eye Exams
Finally, understand that many eye issues that cause vision loss may have few to no symptoms in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to get an annual eye exam, with dilation so your eye doctor can thoroughly examine your eyes and catch potential issues as soon as possible.
Come See Us!
If you’ve been putting off getting an eye exam, don’t wait another day! Book an appointment to visit our expert eye doctors at Tyson Eye.
Tyson Eye is regarded as one of the premier eye care centers in Southwest Florida. Our surgeons and doctors have helped thousands of people enjoy better vision and have consistently introduced break-through technology to the area. We are committed to excellence by delivering modern technology with old fashioned concern.
We’re here to help you see better! Call us at 239-542-2020 today or request an appointment.
