How to Ensure You Are Keeping On top of Your Eyes Health

Your eyes are your window on the world, but they can also be taken for granted when it comes to caring for your overall health. And often, it is not until you visit the optician and discover you may need glasses or contact lenses, do your eyes become a key focus for your attention. However, as well as pursuing a healthy lifestyle, there are some essential things
you can do to look after your precious eyesight. We look at how to ensure you are keeping on top of your eyes’ health.

Schedule in a regular eye test

Just as you book in for a massage, dental check-up or a hair appointment, make sure you make time in your diary for a regular eye health check, even if you don’t think you have any problems with your sight. An eye test – typically every two years – can help you and your optician keep track of your eye health and identify any support you may need in the form of reading glasses or contact lenses. An eye health check can also potentially diagnose any underlying health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure which may eventually affect your sight if left untreated. Just because you are able to order you lenses conveniently online from pureoptical, it is still crucial to regularly visit the opticians.

Eat a balanced diet

A healthy diet can play a key role in keeping your eyesight sharp and on point throughout your life. Food rich in vitamin A, C and antioxidants such as leafy green vegetables can help to boost your eye health as can fish such as salmon. Oily fish contains the eye health powerhouse, omega 3 which supports the macula, the part of your eye that is responsible for your central vision. You should also aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid a high fat diet.

Practice good eye hygiene

Only ever touch your face with scrupulously clean hands, especially if you are a contact lens wearer, to avoid irritation and transferring potential infection-causing bacteria into your eyes. And, if you do wear contact lenses or glasses, make sure you get into a good daily hygiene routine, using the right cleaning solutions, to keep your eyes clean, and safe from bugs and dirt.

Keep hydrated

Your delicate eyes can become sore and irritated if they are not sufficiently lubricated to ensure you are drinking sufficient water every day. To prevent dry eyes becoming more of a problem, look should also look at your environment, as central heating and air con can exacerbate the condition. And don’t forget to blink as you need that sweep motion to spread moisture over the surface of your eyeball to keep everything lubricated and comfortable.

Manage your screen time

Living in the digital age, regular screen time is now the norm for most of us but spending too much time staring at a computer can negatively impact on your eyes as you engage your eyes’ ‘close up’ muscles for prolonged periods of time. Too much screen time can cause headaches and eyestrain so a good rule of thumb to keep everyone in focus is to look up from
your smartphone, tablet or PC screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Put on your shades

And our final tip is don’t leave your sunglasses at home, even during the winter. Sunglasses with the right level of UV protection will protect your eyes from the glare of the sun – and the eye-damaging effect of its UV rays. Just choose the right UV protection for your age and activity and the future of your eye health will look bright.

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