Your eyes are very precious; with them, you read books, focus on delicate tasks, and gaze at your loved ones’ faces. However, with only one pair of eyes to last you for an entire lifetime, it is important that you pay as much attention to looking after and maintaining them as you would your teeth, for example. To ensure that you are on top of your eye health, read on to learn about four essential methods for looking after your eyes.
1. Get regular eye tests
If you wear glasses or contact lenses or have an eye condition, the chances are that you will already have regular eye tests as a matter of course. However, if you are lucky enough to have 20-20 vision, you might disregard an annual eye test as something to be done only if you notice any changes in your vision. The opposite is, in fact, true: your eyes can tell you a lot about your general health and wellbeing, so it is important to get them checked out on at least a yearly basis. Furthermore, some eye conditions are relatively symptomless, such as cataracts; the sooner they are detected in an eye test, the sooner they can be treated to prevent further complications and possible vision loss.
2. Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays
You are probably familiar with the need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes in bright sunlight: they stop you from being dazzled by the sun and there’s nothing more glamorous than a cute pair of oversized sunglasses! However, make sure that your sunglasses have rigorous protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. You can even maximize this protection all-year-round by wearing UV contact lenses and prescription glasses with a built-in UV filter. These will stop most of the harmful rays of the sun from entering your eyes and causing lasting damage.
3. Limit screen time
From cell phones to laptops, iPads to the television, a large majority of most people spend their days looking at a screen – whether that be a computer or a phone screen. If you are experiencing symptoms such as headaches, eye discomfort, and increased sensitivity to light, you might have sustained eye strain following a prolonged amount of time spent looking at a screen. Seek to use various techniques for reducing your screen time and take regular breaks from the screen when working. For instance, for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look away, and focus on a distant object for at least 20 seconds to relax your eyes and give them a break from the screen.
4. Don’t ignore symptoms
If you notice changes to your vision, such as blurred vision or difficulty focusing on objects that are either close to or further away, don’t ignore them. A visit to your local optician will soon identify the problem and formulate a treatment plan, whether that is further investigation at a hospital or simply a pair of prescription glasses.
