Enjoying the benefits of good vision is something that many people take for granted. However, if you do not take good care of your eyes, you can quickly develop vision problems that can eventually lead to blindness. Use the following eye care tips to make sure that you have good vision for a long time to come.
Don’t smoke. You probably already know that there are many serious dangers related to cigarette smoking. One of the less-known dangers is developing Age-related Macular Degeneration(AMD). Several scientific studies have shown that the patients who did smoke were much more likely to develop AMD than those who didn’t smoke. Just another reason not to start smoking or to quit today.
A wide-brimmed hat can be your best friend when outdoors, especially when the sun is shining. A hat offers a lot of protection for your face, including areas like your eyelids where sun can sneak in around the edges of glasses. Eyelids are a fairly common place for melanoma to develop, so cover up outdoors with a stylish hat whenever you can.
Avoid touching your eyes with your hand during the day if you had not washed your hands. When you are on the job or in school, your hands are in contact with surfaces that are full of bacteria. If you touch your eyes, you will transfer the bacteria to your eyes and raise the risk if an eye infection.
Are you a smoker? If so, stop. Smoking increases the chance that you will have problems with your eyes, like cataracts and macular degeneration. It can be hard to quit, but never stop trying. Even if you’ve failed in the past, you still have a good chance of being able to quit in the future.
Eat foods that are known to promote good eye health. This includes a variety of leafy green vegetables, such as collards, kale and spinach. Citrus fruits provide vitamin C, which can help to maintain your eyesight. In addition, protein sources such as beans, eggs, and lentils can prove beneficial to your eyes.
Omega-3 fatty acids are great for your eye health. Discover food that contain nutrients that are good for your eyes and eat them on a regular basis. Foods that make this list are tuna, halibut, salmon and dark green leafy vegetables. Eat a minimum of one serving every day.
If you spend a lot of time on the computer, take regular breaks. For a minute or two each hour, focus on a distant object. This will allow your eyes to readjust. You will experience less eye strain and reduce the number of headaches that you experience throughout the week.
When it comes to puffy eyes, there is a quick and easy solution which can literally cure you of the problem. Stop eating salt! The more salt you eat, the more water you retain, and that will become visible around your eyes. Reduce your sodium and your puffiness will disappear.
Make sure to have your eyes looked at regularly. Many people, particularly if they do not wear glasses or contacts, have not been to the eye doctor in years. You should go at least once in your 20s and at least twice in your 30s to make sure everything is on track. Once you hit forty, try and visit the eye doctor every three years or so. And, when you reach age 65, you should go every other year.
Do you wear contacts? If so, make sure you have a pair of glasses that you can wear if your eyes get irritated. You do not want to make the situation worse by forcing yourself to wear the contacts because serious problems can result. Also, make sure you keep the contacts very clean.
If you use contact lenses, be sure to wash your hands before touching them. There are all sorts of germs and viruses which can enter your body through your eye. The last thing you want is an eye infection, or even a cold or the flu, so wash up first!
Treat puffy eyelids with cucumber slices. Cut a cold cucumber into quarter inch slices, then place them onto your eyelids and close your eyes for 10 minutes while you relax. Soak a tea bag in chilled water to reduce the irritation.
If you want to maintain your eyes healthy and you are a smoker, quit smoking. Smokers are more prone to getting optic nerve damage, macular degeneration and cataracts. If you have attempted to quit smoking before and have failed, keep trying. If you need extra motivation, think about the damage smoking can do to your eyes.
If you wear eye glasses, be sure you still visit your eye doctor at least once a year. It is very possible for your glasses to stop doing their job; chances are, you will realize this is the case when you begin having vision issues. Your doctor may have to give you new glasses or adjust the ones you already have.
Try to get eight hours of sleep at night. Sleep helps to restore your body and keeps you feeling fresh and energetic, which will reduce the redness in your eyes and keep you healthy. Staying awake will also strain your eyes, which will constrict the blood vessels too often, causing inflammation.
If you are working full time in front of a computer screen for eight hours a day, take sufficient breaks. This keeps your eyes healthy and recharged. Walk around the office or go outside and get a bit of fresh air to get an energy boost.
Although contacts are a great alternative to glasses, they need to be handled with care. For instance, you cannot just put them anywhere when not using them; be sure to properly store them. Also, do not wear your contacts if you are experiencing a small eye problem, as they can create bigger issues.
If you do not take good care of your eyes, you may not have good vision for your whole life. Instead, you can develop various problems with your eyes that can be very frustrating to deal with. Make sure that you use these eye care tips on a regular basis.