7 Eye-Friendly Habits You Can Start Today
Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 21 million people have some sort of vision damage? You may think that your eye health is just a matter of luck, but you can actually do quite a bit to encourage having healthier eyes.
Some of your everyday habits — even ones that seem unrelated to your eyes — can actually do a lot of damage. Here, at Eye Q Optique, we have seven ways you can encourage the health of your eyes, which can keep you seeing well for a long time.
Wash your hands
This seems so simple, doesn’t it? But it makes a big difference in your overall health and for your eye health specifically. Many common diseases, including staph, chlamydia, and even pink eye can spread to your eyes by your hands. Because these diseases can negatively impact your vision, you want to do everything you can to avoid them.
Handle contact lenses responsibly
Paying attention to the use of contact lenses is essential, which involves:
Avoiding extended-wear contacts
Never reusing contact lens solution
Paying attention to expiration dates on contact lens solution
Washing your hands before touching your eyes
Keeping your case in storage in a safe place
All of these factors contribute to the health of your eyes while wearing contacts. Although wearing contacts isn’t dangerous in itself, they can cause issues if you’re not careful.
Wear eye protection
Certain environments can present risks to the safety of your eyes. Examples of when you should wear eye protection include when:
Using lawn equipment
Using power tools
Being exposed to flying objects
Being exposed to environments filled with dust or other particles
Even if you’ve been in one of these environments countless times without negative consequences, it only takes a moment for a projectile to hit your eye and that can result in vision damage or even vision loss.
Avoid risky cosmetic procedures
Your eyes are one of your most important organs. You would be significantly affected if anything happened to them. As such, you should avoid getting cosmetic procedures that present risks to your eyes.
These include eye lifts and iris tattooing. But even getting colored contacts, especially from a provider other than your optometrist, can present risks.
Eat a healthy diet
What you eat makes a big difference in the health of your eyes. Your best bet is to eat a whole foods diet that includes:
Fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids, especially tuna and salmon
Eggs
Leafy greens, such as kale and spinach
Whole grains, such as barley and quinoa
Bell peppers and citrus fruits
Nuts and seeds
These foods contain nutrients that your eyes need to be healthy. Keeping your blood sugar under control can help, too, especially if you’re diabetic.
Exercise
We know you hear about the importance of exercise from your doctors. But there’s a good reason for it. Regular exercise has so many benefits for your health in every way, and there’s virtually no drawback.
It can reduce stress, increase blood flow, and help your blood sugar stay consistent, which all play a role in your eye health.
Rest your eyes
It’s incredibly easy to overdo it when it comes to using your eyes. The smartphone is particularly addictive and damaging, but computers aren’t much better. Exposure to blue light is hard on your eyes. Give them a rest sometimes or consider wearing blue light glasses.
Taking care of your eyes isn’t very difficult; it just requires some mindfulness. To learn more about your eye health, contact us today at Eye Q Optique at the office nearest you in Buffalo Grove or Chicago, Illinois.