Our eye health and why it matters
Our eyes are the windows to our soul, as the saying goes. Although our eyes are minute parts of our body, it is just as important as breathing. Without our eyes, we cannot appreciate the world around us. Sometimes, poor eye health can also affect our daily lives. That is why it is important to take care of our eyes.
Unfortunately, a lot of people, especially those who are 55 and above, struggle with poor eye health. As a result, even simple and supposedly fun and relaxing tasks such as reading or watching TV can be a big deal. For the elderly, one common vision problems they may encounter is having cataracts. While cataracts are considered a normal sign of aging, it can be surgically removed so your eye health can be improved.
That is why LASIK eye surgery is available to cater to those who need to improve their eye health. After all, the better your vision, the better and more confident you will feel especially when doing simple everyday tasks. Having an improved vision can even be life-changing.
How to take care of your eye health
As mentioned earlier, taking care of your eye health is just as important as taking care of your entire body. There are different ways to take care of your vision so you can have healthy eyes for the year to come. Here are some tips for a better vision:
- Wear protective eyewear when needed
If you are always in front of the computer or any job that can compromise your eye health, make sure to wear protective eyewear to protect your eyes and avoid potential injuries. Also, take time to rest your eyes every 20 minutes of screen time to help reduce eyestrain.
When the sun is shining bright outside, make it a habit to wear sunglasses. Not only there are a lot of fashionable designs to choose from, but also protect your eyes from UV rays.
- Clean your contact lenses properly
If you are wearing contacts instead of eyeglasses, make sure to disinfect them as per manufacturer’s instruction. Likewise, always ensure that your hands are clean before putting on your contacts, or risk potential infection.
- Avoid smoking
Did you know that smoking is also bad for your eye health? Smoking is linked to a heightened risk of developing macular degeneration, optic nerve damage, and other vision problems that can result in blindness.
- Maintain a healthy weight
Aside from smoking, being overweight also increases your risk of vision problems. Obesity is significantly linked to diabetes, which can result in glaucoma or diabetic eye disease. There are different ways to maintain a healthy weight, which includes eating a healthy and balanced diet.
- Eat healthily
Speaking of healthy diet, eating healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables can help improve your eye health. Eat foods that are good for the eyes such as carrots, dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as tuna and salmon.
- Have your eyes checked regularly?
As they say, prevention is better than cure. LASIK eye surgery can help improve your vision, but it is better to consult your eye health expert to help you take care of your eyes the right way.