It’s easy to overlook your eyes when it comes to keeping healthy, so show them some love, by following our 5 top tips for healthy eyes.
1. Have regular eye examinations
As well as an eye health check, a sight test can help detect signs of underlying general health conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Everyone should have a sight test every 2 years, unless we recommend otherwise.
Everyone we see will receive a standard eye examination. Some people can have this funded under the NHS. You can check your eligibility here:
https://www.optimumvisionclinic.co.uk/examinations/nhs-appointments/
Occasionally we may need to add or alter the examination for children and people with certain conditions. We promise though, that eye examinations are completely painless.
2. Eat a healthy diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet reduces your risk of eye disease. Include lots of omega-3 fats which are found in oily fish and lutein which is found in dark-green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale. Vitamins A, C and E are also helpful, so eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Find healthy recipes for you and your family at:
https://www.healthyfood.co.uk/
If you have a family history of macular degeneration, losing central vision in your eyes, ask your optometrist about taking nutritional supplements.
3. Stop smoking
Smoking significantly increases the risk of developing eye diseases, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. However long you have smoked it’s never too late to benefit from stopping.
Find out more by reading our previous news article on how smoking can lead to vision loss:
https://www.optimumvisionclinic.co.uk/smoking-can-lead-to-vision-loss/
4. Take regular breaks
If you work on something close up, like a computer, tablet or smartphone, your eye muscles are active. This can cause tiredness and headaches, regardless of whether you wear prescriptive lenses or not. We recommend following the 20/20/20 rule.
Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds and don’t forget to blink. This will help prevent your eyes from drying out.
5. Wear sunglasses
Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV light and make your vision more comfortable in the sun. Don’t forget it’s just as important to wear them all year, when the sun is bright, not just in the summer months.
When choosing sunglasses, you should always make sure that they carry the CE or British Standard marks. There are different categories of sunglasses to choose from including everyday wear to specialist sports.
Exposure to UV when young does most harm, so always protect children with sunglasses.
Find out more about the sunglasses we stock at Optimum Vision Clinic here https://www.optimumvisionclinic.co.uk/eyewear/sunglasses/
Source: The College of Optometrists & www.lookafteryoureyes.org