How to Maintain Good Eyesight
- Written by Diana Smith
Think about what you can experience through your senses, and especially your sense of sight. Seeing lets us experience the world on the most basic level, so it is very important to take care of your eyes. No, you can’t blame it all on genetics, some things we just have to take care of ourselves, so let’s see what we can do about our eyesight.
Protective eyewear
There are many reasons why you should wear protective eyewear. If you work in an environment that puts you in danger of small pieces flying into your eyes, you are probably asked – if not required – to wear some protection. Don’t ignore this warning, and protect your eyes from any damage. The same goes for sports. There are many sports that require protective eyewear, mostly to protect your eyes from the elements, like high-speed winds or water, and allow you to see clearer while training. Riding a bicycle at full speed without any glasses can allow small insects or dirt to fly into your eyes and temporarily blind you, which can be very dangerous in its own, not to mention the permanent damage it can cause. There is also a more stylish option: wearing your sunglasses is a great fashion accessory as well as a great way of protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.
Lifestyle changes
There are many different things that can harm our vision and there is quite a bit we can do to prevent that from happening. The two most important things to consider are our diet, and sufficient time for our eyes to rest. You’ve probably heard that some foods are good for your eyes, and studies have shown that people who follow a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables have better eyesight. However, that is not the only reason why our diet is important – being overweight and obese has been time and time proven to increase the risk of vision loss, so maintaining a healthy weight will give you a better chance of preserving your eyesight for as long as possible.
Maybe you’ve heard people saying that looking at a screen all day can ruin your eyesight. That is not exactly true, but there is a reason why people say that. Screens, and the rapid movement that happens on them, tire our eyes, and we often forget to blink or look away for far too long. Our eyes need time to rest, so even if you have to look at a screen all day at work, try to take analog notes in a notebook, just so you look away for a few minutes, and try to spend your breaks away from the screen.
Regular check-ups
As we said, you can’t blame it all on genetics, but genetics still do play a role, so make sure that you are fully aware of your family’s medical history so that you can answer any questions an optometrist might have. Who knows, maybe having all the answers can even help prevent vision loss one day. Even if you have perfect eyesight and your medical history is crystal clear, you should still get an eye test every year. Seeing an optometrist regularly means that even the smallest changes, which you might not notice in your day-to-day life, will be caught on time and treated accordingly. The tests don’t hurt at all and they usually last less than half an hour, so you really have no excuse for avoiding them.
Maintaining healthy eyesight and doing your best to properly manage any potential vision problems is a good way to practice self-care and ensure your quality of life in the long run.
