5 Healthy Habits To Protect Your Eyes

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By Aaron Barriga

eyeEyes are one of the most sensitive organs of the human body. If you do not take care of them, you can invite a host of eye related problems and diseases, some which may even affect your vision permanently. Let us look at a few habits which will help you avoid various eye related problems and make sure your eyes stay healthy for a long time.

1. Diet Matters

You must have a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy veggies like kale, spinach and collard greens. The essential omega-3 fatty acids can be gained from eating fish like salmon, tuna and halibut. Healthy diet will also prevent obesity, which is directly linked to diabetes. This in turn contributes to eye problems like glaucoma — a disease that damages the optic nerve.

2. Cleanliness Equals Healthy Eyes

Always wash your hands before touching the eyes, especially when you put or remove your contact lenses. Clean hands and fingers will prevent you from exposing your eyes to germs, and hence avoid risking infections or serious eye diseases that can lead to vision problems. You have to exercise caution when it comes to using make-up. Eyeliners, mascara and eye make-up are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. Dispose the make-up after every three months and buy only good quality products.

3. Protecting the Eyes

You have to use protective eyewear whenever you play a sport like ice hockey, football or swimming or carry out certain home or DIY activities like gardening, sawing wood or cleaning the chimney. Safety glasses, eye guards and safety shields are designed to provide the correct protection to eyes during the activities mentioned above. The lenses of protective eye wear are made up of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. You can get protective eyewear at any eye care providers as well as some sporting goods stores.

Apart from the protective eye gear, you must use sunglasses every time you step out in the sun to protect your eyes from the harmful ultraviolet rays. Buy only those glasses which can block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

4. Give Them a Break

familywalkWe spend most of the day staring at the screens of laptops, computers or smartphones for work or entertainment. This puts a strain on our eyes, which is why you must take regular breaks in between to relax them. Generally, we blink about 15 to 20 times in a minute but this drops by half when we are looking at a digital screen. By not blinking enough, the cornea can dry out and irritate your eyes. Try out the 20/20/20 rule when staring at a screen – Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. This allows you to blink naturally and give your eyes some time to relax.

5. Visit the Eye Doctor Regularly

Regular eye checkups help in identifying vision related problems at an early stage, and in maintaining the health of the eyes. Regular eye exams can also detect diseases like glaucoma, which has no symptoms. Early detection makes it easier to cure.

It is equally important to know about your family history and inform about the same to your doctor. This knowledge will help your doctor in predicting whether or not you will suffer from any hereditary eye condition. If you experience any kind of eye problems such as redness or blurry vision, visit the eye doctor immediately.

These are just some basic habits which you can follow in your everyday life. Remember that if you take good care of your eyes, you can protect your vision for a long time.

Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs with a mission of informing readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care especially LASIK. He loves collecting coasters from the different bars and restaurants he visits during his travels.