Mar 1

Three Ways to Protect Your Eyes

Your vision is vital to a happy and healthy life! While we often hear about prevention and healthy habits for our bodies, we do not always focus on our eyes even though they are important. Keeping your vision at its best not only helps you see your world clearly, but it also can help keep your overall health at its best.

Here are the Top 3 areas to focus on for your best eye health:

1. Be Mindful of What You Put in Your Mouth: Eating a well-balanced diet is obviously optimal for your overall health as well as your eyes. There are certain nutrients that are especially beneficial to your eye health. Eating foods full of Vitamins C and E, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and lutein can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. You can find these in green leafy vegetables, oily fish, eggs, nuts, citrus fruits and non-meat protein sources. What does not go in is also important: Stop smoking. This habit can cause cataracts and damage to your optic nerve.
2. Shields Up: Protecting your eyes is important to prevent injuries and the effects of exposure to sunlight. Consistently wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays when you are outside. Wraparound lenses can offer protection from the side as well. Too much exposure to rays can cause macular degeneration. Wear safety glasses when you are at work or when you are playing sports, such as ice hockey, racquetball or high-impact sports. If you are a do-it-yourselfer around your house, do not forget to put on safety eyewear when you are working on projects as well.
3. Take a Break: We are all constantly on our devices and computers. This can really take a toll on your eyes. If you work on a computer, take time every 20 minutes to rest your eyes by looking away from your screen or even better, take a break and get up for a break every couple hours. Make sure you are blinking to help keep your eyes from feeling dry as well.

Visit Your Eye Doctor Regularly

Beyond these tips, having a thorough eye exam on a regular basis is the most important component of your eye health. Our team at Trumansburg Optical can ensure that you see clearly and that your eyes are as healthy as possible. When you visit us, you can expect to be tested for both near- and far-sightedness as well as a comprehensive health assessment. We may need to dilate your eyes to take a closer look inside your eye for any issues or abnormalities that need to be addressed. Our team recommends annual exams for school-age children and at 1 and 3 years old. For adults, an annual exam is needed if you wear contacts or glasses and after 45 years old.

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