Living in the world of digital advancements and jobs that require us to sit in front of the screen for hours compromises eye health severely. That’s why you need to adjust your lifestyle habits to prevent your eyesight from deteriorating. If you’re unsure how to do it, we’ve prepared several tips to show you the best lifestyle practices for improving your eye health.
Invest in quality sunglasses
Sun exposure is harmful in more ways than just causing sunburn on your skin. Your eyesight will be severely damaged if you don’t protect your eyes with sunglasses. Even during winter, when the snow is on the ground, and you think you can get outside without sunglasses, your eyesight can become affected by the reflection the sun makes with the snow. Sometimes when it’s cloudy, and you can tell that the sun is just above the clouds, you’ll need to wear sunglasses or you’ll squint and won’t see anything clearly. Don’t risk developing blurred vision, headaches and early wrinkles around the eye area because you were too lazy to get a pair of quality sunglasses to wear year-long.
Limit screen time
Have you paid attention to how much time you spend in front of a screen? If you work in the office, use your phone and then watch Netflix when you come home, you practically stare at a screen all day. Sleeping is the only time you rest your eyes. That means you spend 2/3 a day straining your eyes. Did you know that the daily limit of screen time is 4 hours? One of the tips optometrists shared is to put your phone away 2 hours before bed to improve sleep and save your eyes in the process. If you can’t help but spend more than 4 hours in front of a screen due to work, introduce an eye rest break into the routine. Look away from the screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Cold compresses help inflamed eyes if you apply them on your eyelids and leave them for 60 seconds. Also, find an optometrist for regular eye checkups.
Visit the eye doctor regularly
Regular eye check-ups are vital for your eye health. Like any other part of your body, the eyes deserve periodic examinations to ensure they’re healthy. Even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms of deteriorated vision, visit a professional optometrist to see if your eyes are well. If you notice that you can’t see as well as you used to, then a professional optometrist will know what glasses you need and recommend the best contact lenses if you don’t want to wear glasses. Don’t wait until your vision is severely damaged to see the eye doctor. Any problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible to increase the chance of solving the problem, rather than having to live with it.
Watch your diet
The foods you eat affect your eyesight, as well as all the other factors we’ve mentioned. So, to improve your eye health, pack your diet with plenty of fruit, such as kiwi, and leafy greens, including spinach and broccoli. Nuts, seeds, seafood, and oily fish are rich in vitamins C and E, zinc and carotenoids – essential for good eye health. Prevent age-related eye disease by having more omega-3 fatty acids through coldwater fish.
Read in a bright environment
Reading in bright environments is much better for your eyes than being in a dimly-lit room. Whether you read for pleasure or spend a lot of time reading for work, doing so in a well-lit room is of the essence. Your eyes will suffer unless you provide them with a comfortable reading ambience. Ensure the brightness on your smart device is adjusted according to the ambient light. That way, you’ll prevent too much strain on your eyes.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is one of the worst enemies of your overall health. It is particularly damaging to your eyes, considering smoking increases the risk of developing macular generation by two and sometimes three times. The last thing you need is severe vision loss because you didn’t break the bad habit of needing to smoke every day.
Final thoughts
Could you imagine going through life without seeing clearly as when you were young and needing to rely on others to walk with you in the street because you don’t see well anymore? Don’t risk losing your eyesight because you neglected your eye health. Follow the tips we’ve listed to protect your eyes and enjoy seeing the world for many more years.
