It’s easy to take your eye health for granted, especially in this day and age where we spend a good portion of the day staring at a screen of some sort. Eye strain can lead to infection and infection increases your likelihood of developing more severe eye problems later in life, like retinal and macular diseases. Be sure to consult a specialist like Retina Associates if you’re losing vision or having any severe pain in your eyes. Otherwise, follow these easy steps to maintain immaculate 20/20 eyesight.

5 Ways To Protect Your Eyesight As You Age

  1. Quit the cigarettes. As we are all aware, smoking leads to a number of serious health issues. Some of which are eye related. Regular smokers rapidly increase their chances of getting cataracts, optic nerve damage and/or macular degeneration. Persevere with kicking the habit – it’ll be worth it in the long run. Every time you attempt to quit, you’re doing your eyes a massive favor by keeping that dreaded smoke away.
  2. Eat your eyes into shape. An old wive’s tale suggests that carrots will keep your eyes from degenerating over the years, but it’s not quite that simple. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamins C and E are believed to help ward off vision problems as you age. These kinds of nutrients can be found in green leafy vegetables, oily fish such as salmon and tuna, eggs, nuts, beans, and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. In general, eating a well balanced diet will lead to better health and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes (which is the leading causer of blindness in adults).
  3. Protect your eyes with eyewear. Getting yourself a pair of high quality UV blocking sunglasses can prevent you from developing cataracts in your old age. Lenses that wrap around your face will shield your eyes at all angles, rather than just head-on. Some contact lenses offer UV protection too, so be sure to investigate your options. On a similar note, if you’re working with power tools, be sure to use protective eyewear to prevent any hazardous materials from flying into your eyes.
  4. Reduce your screen time. In this day and age, we tend to be glued to a screen of some sort. Staring at a computer or iPhone screen for too long can cause a number of issues for your eyes. Strain, blurry vision, trouble focusing, dry eyes, headaches, and even neck and back pain can be significantly reduced if you simply reduce your screen time. Be sure to update your prescription if your wear contact lenses or glasses, and find out if your lenses are computer screen friendly.
  5. Ask a professional. Visiting an eye doctor from time to time is an important part of maintaining good eye health, especially if you wear glasses, or contact lenses. Adults and children alike should be getting their eyes examined on a six monthly basis. Some diseases such as glaucoma don’t have obvious symptoms, so getting your eyes examined is a must in order to get early detection.