May is Healthy Vision Month, but there are plenty of things you can do to have healthy vision all year long. Your eyes need care in order to continue helping you see the best you can.
Older adults especially should be aware of the risk of age-related eye diseases, as many can lead to permanent vision loss. Many also show no symptoms until there’s irreversible vision loss, so the only way to diagnose them early and preserve your vision is through regular eye exams.
No matter your age, there are quite a few things you can do to have healthy vision in May and all year long. Keep reading to learn what you can do during Healthy Vision Month!
Practice Good Hygiene
It’s important to avoid rubbing your eyes or changing out contact lenses with unclean hands. Bacteria in the eye can cause irritation, leading to inflammation, dry eye, and even more serious issues.
If you frequently experience eyelid inflammation, you should take extra care to wash your eyelids. Talk to your eye doctor about how to maintain good eyelid hygiene if you frequently have dry eyes, inflammation, or infections.
Stay Active
Many eye diseases are linked with health issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. One way to reduce your risk for these eye diseases is to keep your body healthy by exercising regularly.
Exercise is good for your whole body, but maintaining healthy vision is another reason to stay fit.
Eat Well
Sometimes, issues with your eye health are due to poor nutrition. Eating eye-healthy nutrients like omega-3s can help your eyes produce tears better and reduce your risk for dry eye and associated complications.
You can take omega-3 supplements, but you can also find them in food. Fish, seeds, and walnuts are rich in omega-3s, and incorporating these foods into your diet can help your eyes stay healthy.
You can also eat more dark, leafy greens as they contain various eye-healthy nutrients.
Wear Sunglasses
It sounds simple, but wearing sunglasses can help maintain healthy vision. UV damage raises your risk for multiple eye diseases.
Wearing sunglasses that block out at least 99% of UV rays can easily prevent this damage, keeping your eyes healthy. So always wear your sunglasses when you’re outside in the sun or driving.
Schedule an Appointment with an Eye Doctor
If you can’t remember the last time you saw your eye doctor, schedule an appointment to see them right away for a routine, comprehensive eye exam. Having a go-to eye doctor can help you get regular eye exams when you need them and care for any visual issues as they come up.
Anyone who needs glasses or contact lenses should see an eye doctor to get their prescription updated at least once a year. Your eye doctor will likely recommend that once you turn forty, you should at least once every two years.
Your eye doctor may ask you to see them once every year by the time you’re fifty. These recommendations are based only on age, but some people can have a greater risk for eye disease.
If you’re at higher risk, you should see the eye doctor more often, even if you’re younger. Your eye doctor can tell you how often you should have comprehensive eye exams based on your age and risk for eye disease.
Do you want to learn more about how you can keep your eyes and vision healthy? Schedule an appointment at Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, ME, today!
