Unless you already have vision problems, you tend to take your eyesight for granted, and once you open your eyes, you will see the world around you clearly. However, vision loss can creep up on you so slowly that we don’t realise you have a problem until expensive and invasive interventions are needed. Further, since many of us avoid going to the doctor unless we are experiencing a problem, often, we miss the slow degradation that tends to happen when simpler remedies could be offered. 

Noting that August is Eye Health and Safety Month, we thought it opportune to spend some time outlining ways in which you can keep protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy. 

 

1. Maintain Good Health and Exercise  

As part of your body, it goes without saying that you benefit from what you put into and what you do for your body. So, taking care of your overall health is a must, which includes, eating healthy foods, including lots of dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens, as well as fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut. Also, be active and ensure that you get enough exercise, which can help you to better control your weight, and to manage conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Finally, if you smoke, consider quitting. In addition to damaging your lungs, smoking affects your eyes and increases the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. 

 

2. Protect Your Eyes from Prolonged Sun Exposure 

As much as we may all like to have a trendy pair of sunglasses, they should not just be a fashion piece or part of the fashion statement you would like to make. Sunglasses can play a crucial role in protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Similar to cigarette smoke, prolonged exposure to sunlight can increase damage not only to your eyesight but also increase your risk of developing cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) or corneal growths, such as pterygia and pingueculae.  

Hence, when buying sunglasses, although they could be fashionable, also ensure that they block 99 to 100 per cent of both UVA and UVB radiation. Also, and equally important, do remember to wear sunglasses whenever you are outside. 

 

3. Wear Protective Eye Gear 

We often don’t think we need safety glasses unless we are engaged in certain types of activities, such as welding – which very few of us will ever do. However, it is a good practice to have at hand – and wear safety glasses and goggles even when we are playing certain sports or doing home repairs.  

As much as our eyes tend to react and close pretty quickly, and our lashes help to keep out dust and dirt, getting a direct hit in the eye from a ball or whilst playing a contact sport can cause serious damage to your eye. Similarly, the dust and particulate generated whilst doing woodwork or cutting and sanding drywall, can irritate your eyes and cause microtears and scratches, which can lead to infection and changes in your vision.  

 

4. Give Your Eyes a Rest 

These days, it is easy for us to spend hours working on our computer or browsing online or on social media on our smartphone or tablet computer. However, this can lead to eye strain and fatigue, and lead to deterioration of your vision over time. 

To protect your eyes, try to be more conscientious when using digital screens, and to take frequent breaks. A good rule of thumb is the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. Also, consider getting blue light-blocking glasses, to help protect your eyes from the blue light emitted from computing devices. Note that if you already wear prescription spectacles, it may be possible to integrate blue light protection into your next pair. 

 

5. Know Your Family History and Other Risk Factors  

Something that many of us might not realise is that certain eye diseases run into families. Examples include colour blindness, cataracts, night blindness and glaucoma. It is this important to know your family medical history to determine if you are at a higher risk of developing certain eye diseases. 

It is important to be aware of other risk factors you may have that increase your likelihood of developing certain eye diseases and conditions. For example, as you get older, you are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. Further, pre-existing conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes can adversely affect your vision. In knowing your risk factors, you may be able to lower your risk by changing some behaviours and proactively monitoring and managing any deterioration that might occur. 

 

6. Get Your Eyes and Vision Checked Regularly 

Finally, it is strongly recommended that you get your eyes and vision checked regularly. This is not just a vision test to determine whether you need glasses, but also to get a comprehensive eye exam to check the overall health of your eyes, which should be done at least every two years. This eye exam should include getting your pupils dilated to check the inner workings of the eye. 

Although you do not seem to have any noticeable changes in your vision, this eye exam is critical, as some eye diseases may not have early warning signs. Also, the deterioration may be so gradual that you do not realise it until the situation is quite advanced. Early detection can result in earlier, easier, and less expensive, treatment.  

 

 

Image: David Travis (Unsplash)