Easy Ways to Look After Your Eye Health

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When was the last time you thought about your eyes? For those of us who are lucky enough to have 20/20 vision or vision that is corrected by glasses, contacts for astigmatism or even those who have had laser eye surgery, chances are it isn't something you think about on a regular basis.

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But what would you do if you suddenly developed an issue that could threaten your sight? This is something faced by a huge portion of the population with figures thought to be over 1 billion losing their sight due to lack of care worldwide.

So what can you do to make sure you keep your eyes healthy and minimize the risk of sight loss due to poor health and bad habits?

In the first instance, if you are experiencing any of the following, it is advisable to visit your primary health provider or optician as soon as possible.

• Partial Vision Loss
• Total Vision Loss
• Blurred Vision
• Double Vision
• Dark Spots, Floating Spots or any other Visual Impairment that is new.
• Injury
• Infections/Red Spots/Eye Damage
• A Feeling of Darkness Around the Eye or Shadows
• Loss of Focus or Not being Able to see As Clearly as Usual

Eat Well.

We all know the importance of eating enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis to keep our bodies healthy, but did you know this also benefits your eyesight too?

Citrus fruits, leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes are all among the fruits and vegetables that contribute towards keeping your eyes healthy. As are beef and eggs too.

Also drinking enough water is vital too. Water helps our bodies function properly and being dehydrated can have a detrimental effect on our health all round.

Regular Checks

Your optician will advise as to how regularly you need to visit them for a check-up, but going too long can mean any changes are missed and you could suffer as a result. If you have a history of eye problems in your family, or you have diabetes, glaucoma or high blood pressure, you could be at risk of complications to your eye health so making sure you are keeping up with your appointments is essential.

Stop Smoking

Smoking is bad for your health. It isn't only bad for your eyes but your overall health too. So if you want to make sure you are looking after your sight, then consider stopping smoking and even cutting down on alcohol too!

Wear Your Glasses

It can be tempting to forgo wearing your glasses, especially if you are not used to wearing them or don't need them all the time. In reality, you will have been prescribed your glasses for a reason so not wearing them when you need to will result in a decline in your sight and overall eye health.

In fact, you may find you are more susceptible to headaches and eye strain as your eyes are working harder to compensate for the loss of vision.