healthy eyes

Healthy Eyes

11. Take care of your contact lenses
Its easy to become complacent, but if you wear contact lenses you should always make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions. That means if you were daily disposables not wearing them for more than one day, and cleaning extendedwear lenses every time you remove them. Failure to follow instructions could lead to eye infections.
12. Never be shy about asking for advice
While these tips are a great starting point for good eye health, they should be supplemented by advice specific to your individual needs that your doctor or optician can provide. Dont be afraid to ask them for help ? your sight is worth it.
13. Know the warning signs
Losing your peripheral vision can be a warning sign for glaucoma, while cloudy vision could mean youre developing cataracts. If you notice colours dont have the same vitality and images start to become blurred you might be in the early stages of age related macular degeneration, the greatest cause of blindness in people over 50. While there is no cure for macular degeneration, if you can spot it early you can delay the loss of visual acuity.

The biggest warning sign to be aware of is flashing lights combined with an increase in the number of floaters you can see (they look like small bits of string floating across your eye). This may be a sign of an oncoming retinal detachment which can cause vision loss. If you experience this see an eye care professional as a matter of the utmost urgency.

14. Turn up the light
As we get older we need more light to see ? a 60 year old will need three times as much light as a 20 year old to see properly. As the change happens gradually you might not have noticed however. Make sure your rooms are adequately lit; consider buying extra lighting if you find yourself struggling to see easily. Insufficient light can cause eye strain, which in turn may lead to symptoms such as blurred vision, headaches and aching shoulders.
15. Make Lifestyle Changes
Its never too late to make positive lifestyle changes. Studies have shown that even if you quit smoking after the age of 50 you can reduce the risk of getting a number of conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Meanwhile eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes foods such as leafy greens, citrus and berries, almonds and fatty fish will help provide you with the vitamins and minerals that are vital for healthy eyes.
16. Work safe
While your employer needs to make sure the health of your eyes at work is protected, there are things you can do to help out your eyes, especially if you use computers ?its easy to fall into bad habits so it never hurts to take a fresh look at the way you work. To start, make sure your screen is at least 2030 inches from you, with the top of the screen being roughly eye level; if you need to lean in to see youre likely to need your sight corrected. You should also observe the 20/20/20 rule ? for every 20 minutes you spend looking at the computer you should spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.
17. Control the Air Quality in Your Home or Office
In the winter, the heating systems in homes and offices create dry air. Consider using a portable humidifier to keep the air moist, which will help prevent eye irritation caused by dryness. If you have a pet, keeping their hair off areas where you sit or lie down, like couches and chairs, is important as well. Along with shedding dander, pets can also track in other irritants from outside that can cause inflammation in the eyes.
18. Stock Your Home Medical Kit with Saline Solution
When pouring chemicals or using power tools, you should always wear safety goggles. But that level of protection isnt necessary around the house, so if you accidentally splash soap or cleansers in your eye, the first thing you should do is rinse thoroughly with saline for 10 to 15 minutes. That may seem like a long time, but rinsing is the best way to clear the eyes. If you still experience irritation after that, visit your eye doctor.
19. Replace Your Contact Lens Case Every Two to Three Months
A huge reason why my patients experience complications is that they dont clean their lens cases, says Dr. Lowe. People throw them into their pockets or purses or store them in a humid bathroom, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. So replace your case often and keep it in a clean, dry place. After you put in your contacts, be sure that the case is empty of all solution: Dump it out, then rinse and dry the case before you store your lenses in it again.
20. Eat Leafy Greens Dark Berries and ColdWater Fish
Eating carrots to improve our vision is an old wives tale, says Dr. Lowe. (Though they cant hurt you just have to eat a whole lot of them to reap any benefits.) But dont discount the power of other fruits and veggies. Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and Brussels sprouts, as well as dark berries, like blueberries and blackberries, are rich in lutein, a type of carotenoid that protects against macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60. Foods rich in omega3s, like walnuts and fresh coldwater fish, have been found to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels of the eye.