The World Health Organization estimates that over 80% of all vision impairment around the world can be prevented and even cured. Reducing the risk of eye diseases involves adopting a combination of lifestyle changes, protective measures, and regular eye care. Here are six ways to look after your eyes in 2024.
1. Have regular eye tests
- Glaucoma, for example, will cause irreversible damage to the eye if not picked up early enough as it damages the peripheral visual field to start with.
- Eye disease linked to diabetes also causes irreversible damage to the eyes without much noticeable vision loss as it damages the small blood vessels in the eye.
- Going for an eye test with a qualified optometrist will enable them to detect eye diseases and refer you to a specialist if needed.
2. Check your eyes at home
- As most of us use both eyes at the same time, it can be difficult to know if one is not seeing so well.
- Try covering each eye every week and look at a number plate in the distance to make sure both eyes are seeing well.
3. Protect your eyes from mechanical and UV damage
- Make sure you wear good quality sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
- In the summer, gardening accidents, such as getting caught in the eye with a twig when pruning are quite frequent and can cause permanent damage.
4. Reduce digital eye strain
- While eyestrain does not normally cause permanent damage or affect your glasses prescription, it can be very uncomfortable.
- Most people forget to blink when they are working on screens, and this leads to dry eyes.
- To reduce this discomfort, try consciously blinking more often during screen time.
5. Have a good diet
- While many of us know that vitamin A from carrots is good for the eyes, our eyes need more than vitamin A to function healthily.
- A healthy diet is also linked to good control of diabetes, and poor control of diabetes will lead to a much higher risk of blindness from diabetic-related eye disease.
6. Quit smoking and be more active
- Smoking is a significant risk factor for most systemic diseases in the body including the eyes.
- Smoking increases the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Exercise is not only important for the rest of the body but also for the eyes.
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