What can we do to protect our eyes?

We do many things in the name of good health – we take care of our body, do sports, go on diet or abstain from sweets. But what do we actually do to protect some of our most valuable organs - our eyes?Visiting you ophthalmologist shouldn’t be your lowest priority when it comes to protecting your eyes. Your eyes should get examined to help you protect your sight and make sure that you are seeing your best. Eye exams are also good for prevention from some eye diseases that have no symptoms, such as glaucoma. Its important to find these diseases in their early stages, when theyre easier to treat. A complete eye exam may include: (1) Talking about your personal and family medical history(2) Taking vision tests to see if you have nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism (a curved cornea that blurs vision), or presbyopia (age-related vision changes)(3) Tests to see how well your eyes work together(4) Eye pressure and optic nerve tests to determine if you have glaucoma(5) External and microscopic examination of your eyes before and after dilation Other tests may be necessary, depending upon your particular case. ...

Non-medicinal approaches to protect our eyes include some good behaviours that we need to stick to all the time, such as:

(1) Quit Smoking: Smoking makes you more likely to get cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration.

(2) Wear Sunglasses: The right kind of sunglasses will help protect your eyes from the suns ultraviolet (UV) rays. Too much UV exposure makes you more likely to get cataracts and macular degeneration. Choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.

(3) Use Safety Eyewear: If you work with hazardous or airborne materials at work or home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles every time. Certain sports such as ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to eye injury so it is very important to wear eye protection

(4) Look Away From the Computer: Staring at a computer screen can cause: eyestrain, blurry vision, difficulty focusing at a distance, dry eyes, headaches, neck, back, and shoulder pain.

To protect your eye health you should make sure (1) every 20 minutes you rest your eyes by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds. At least every two hours, get up and take a 15-minute break; (2) your glasses or contact lens prescription is up-to-date and adequate for computer use; (3) your computer is positioned so that your eyes are level with the top of the monitor - this allows you to look slightly down at the screen; (4) try to avoid glare on your computer from windows and lights - use an anti-glare screen if needed; (5) choose a comfortable, supportive chair - position it so that your feet are flat on the floor. ...