Healthy Eyes

1. We often see patients experiencing discomfort because they applied outofdate eyeliner or makeup. Replace your makeup regularly and dont use mascara or eyeliner thats more than six months old. Sharing makeup and makeup brushes will also increase your susceptibility to eye infections. .....

Get some fresh air

2. Working in an air conditioned office or building can dry out your eyes even if you dont wear contact lenses, making them uncomfortable and itchy but a little fresh air will help. .....

Don t rub your eyes

3. If you have something in your eye, dont rub it. The best thing to do is lift the upper eyelid outward and gently pull it down to cover the lower lashes causing tears to wash the object out of your eye. Lens wearers should take them out and clean them thoroughly. .....

Sit 50 60 cm away from your screen

4. Make sure you sit about 5060 cm away from your computer screen and that there is no light reflecting off the monitor. .....

Get your eyes tested regularly

5. Its important to have a regular, comprehensive eye test because optometrists can diagnose not just problems with sight, but major health issues too, such as high cholesterol, liver damage and many others. .....

Wear sunglasses

6. Sunglasses help keep your eyes healthy by protecting them from UV rays ? not to mention being a musthave fashion accessory. .....

Take a break

7. If working for long periods in front of a monitor, try and take a break every 20 minutes to half an hour. .....

Drink plenty of water

8. Try and drink lots of water ? as well as being great for your skin it can improve the moisture balance in your eyes, especially in air conditioned offices. .....

Keep a healthy diet

9. Eating certain foods rich in antioxidants can keep your eyes in good health such as oily fish, nuts and green leafy vegetables. Other foods that help maintain healthy eyes are those containing zinc like red meat or rye oats, as well as strawberries, kiwis and oranges which are foods high in vitamin C. .....

Exercise

10. Regular exercise ensures good circulation and oxygen intake, which is crucial if youre want to have healthy eyes. Combining a good diet with exercise should also ensure you stay a healthy weight, which is important because being overweight makes you more susceptible to diabetes, and that in turn can cause sight loss. .....

Take care of your contact lenses

11. 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. .....

Never be shy about asking for advice

12. 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. .....

Know the warning signs

13. 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 b .....

Turn up the light

14. 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. .....

Make Lifestyle Changes

15. 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. .....

Work safe

16. 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 correcte .....

Control the Air Quality in Your Home or Office

17. 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. .....

Stock Your Home Medical Kit with Saline Solution

18. 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. .....

Replace Your Contact Lens Case Every Two to Three Months

19. 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 .....

Eat Leafy Greens Dark Berries and ColdWater Fish

20. 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 .....

Travel Smart

21. Airplane air quality tends to be drier and more irritating to the eye, especially if youre a contact lens wearer, says Dr. Lowe. Using rewetting or lubricating drops in your eyes before boarding (keep the bottle handy during the flight too) is a smart way to prevent irritation caused by dry eyes. Bring along an extra pair of lenses and your glasses, just in case. And while youre on vacation, its never a good idea to expose contact lenses to pool .....

Eat Whole Eggs

22. Egg yolks are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, but many of us avoid eggs because were worried about their cholesterol content. Research led by Thomas Wilson, Ph.D., associate professor with the Center for Health and Disease Research at the University of MassachusettsLowell, suggests that we shouldnt be so concerned. He found that when people ate eggs regularly .....

Keep Your Blood Pressure And Your Weight In Check

23. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop AMD, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The theory is that increased pressure damages blood vessels. This hinders blood flow to the eyes, making it harder for protective nutrients to reach the retina and for damaging freeradical debris to be carried away. Losing extra pounds if youre overweight or obese might also help. Body fat is a major storage depot for fatsoluble nut .....

Pregnancy and Vision

24. Some women experience changes in their eyesight when they are pregnant. Hormone levels during pregnancy can change the thickness of your cornea temporarily causing blurred vision. You may need different or additional vision correction for a few months. If you wear contact lenses, you may find that your eyes are uncomfortably dry during your pregnancy. The good news is that your eyes will return to normal shortly after your baby arrives. .....

Dont Smoke

25. Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of oxidative stress. While the connection has not been clearly identified, it is known that smoking increases your risk for a variety of health conditions affecting the eye. To help you quit, visit the American Lung Associations free online smoking cessation program ? Freedom From Smoking .....

Eat a Balanced Diet

26. As part of your healthy diet, choose foods rich in antioxidants, like Vitamins A and C; foods like leafy, green vegetables and fish. Many foods ? especially fish ? contain essential omega3 fatty acids that are important to the health of the macula, the part of the eye responsible for central vision.An inadequate intake of antioxidants, consumption of alcohol or saturated fats may create freeradical reactions that can harm the macula ? the centra .....

Protecting the eyes during sports

27. The bigger the ball, the less likely an eye injury. Basketballs or footballs are less likely than smaller balls to injure eyes. Squash balls and golf balls, for example, are more dangerous. In a Portuguese study reported in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, squash followed by paintball were the two most common causes of sports injuries to the eye. Most commercial paintball sites insist on eye protection. In Malaysia, where badminton is the na .....

Protecting the eyes during sports continued

28. Eye protection should be used when playing most ball sports, ophthalmologists advise. Most sporting goods stores sell plastic, moulded shields or masks appropriate for different sports. Its generally considered best not to wear contact lenses when swimming. Soft lenses may well up and stick to the eye because of different concentrations of salt and minerals within the fluid inside the lens and in the pool water. In sea water, they may flatten ou .....

Rest your eyes

29. If you do still have to work through the summer ? whether its on a computer screen, Blackberry or iPad ? you should give your eyes a break to keep them healthy.GP and former medical correspondent for The Times, Dr Thomas Stuttaford encourages his patients to take five minute breaks away from the computer every hour when spending long stretches of time working with screens.While computers dont cause lasting damage to the eyes, staring at screens f .....

Avoid road trip fatigue

30. Whether youre driving cross state or cross country, a summer road trip can take a toll on your eyes. Be sure to aim A/C vents away from your face to avoid getting dry eye. If youre driving (or just a hypnotized passenger) dont forget to blink! Pull over often to refresh your eyes and avoid eye strain and fatigue. .....