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Eye Safety Tips

Do you know how to protect your healthy eyesight? Don’t wait until it’s gone! Discover essential, simple eye care tips you need to follow every day to preserve your vision.

Key Takeaways for Optimal Eye Health

Protecting your vision is a proactive, daily commitment. Here are the most essential, actionable insights from this guide:

  • Your Diet is Your Defense: Prioritize nutrients like Lutein, Zinc, and Omega-3s (found in leafy greens, eggs, and oily fish) to build your internal defense against conditions like cataracts.

  • Preventative Screenings Save Sight: Many serious eye conditions, like glaucoma, show no early symptoms. Annual eye exams are non-negotiable for early detection and treatment.

  • Family History is Crucial: Eye conditions are often hereditary. Know your family’s medical history and share it with your eye doctor to create a personalized preventative action plan.

  • Protect Against the Sun and Smoke: Always wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of UV rays, and immediately stop smoking, as it is a major factor in macular degeneration and vision loss.

  • Practice the 20-20-20 Rule: To combat digital eye strain, look away from your screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds at an object 20 feet away.

  • Know Basic First Aid: If you experience an eye injury, never rub or attempt to remove a foreign object. Use a shield (like a styrofoam cup) and seek professional medical attention immediately.

The eye is a very delicate and fragile part of the body. According to one study on distance vision, about 188.5 million individuals are said to suffer from mild vision impairment, 217 million individuals suffer from moderate and severe impairment, while 36 million individuals are blind. For near vision impairment, there are about 826 million individuals suffering. In all, about 1.3 billion people are living with one of these impairments.

While a lot of people are aware that the eyes are an integral part of the body system, most of them do not pay very close attention to taking care of their eyes and are, in essence, taking them for granted. As the saying goes, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” and therefore, we have decided to take the necessary steps to provide you with information on how to best take care of your eyesight.
Below are ways to keep your eyes safe:

1. Eat Healthy

Eating a healthy diet is a very integral part of keeping the eyes healthy. Nutrients like lutein, vitamins E and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc may help in preventing eye-related problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. These nutrients can be found in vegetables like collards, kale, spinach, fish like tuna, salmon, and halibut, as well as in beans, nuts, eggs, oranges, pork, and oysters.

Besides eating meals rich in nutrients, it is equally important to eat a well-balanced diet. Obesity can cause diabetes and other medical conditions, leading to blindness or glaucoma. Obesity is also regarded as the chief cause of blindness across the globe, which should raise a red flag to watch your weight. You can always visit your doctor to get help with drafting a healthy eating plan.

2. Know your family’s medical history

Eye issues are usually hereditary, which is why it is important to collect a family history of any diseases that may affect eye health and then report them to your eye doctor. This will help to determine your chances of any future eye conditions, as well as come up with an action plan for future eye exams.

3. Avoid Smoking

Smoking, in general, is harmful to your overall health. In regard to your eyes, it can cause macular degeneration, destroy the optic nerve, and cause cataracts. It can even lead to vision loss. Quitting smoking if you already smoke, or better yet, not even starting, will be extremely beneficial to your overall health and wellness.

4. Wear Sunglasses

Sunglasses are more than just fashion accessories; they are vital in protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun. UV rays can cause macular degeneration and even cataracts, which is why it is important to wear sunglasses that protect against 99% -100% of UV rays.

5. Obey workplace safety precautions

It is important that we wear protective eye gear when engaging in sporting activities or jobs that could be harmful to the eyes. Such eyewear includes safety goggles, glasses, and helmets. Most of these protectors are from polycarbonates, which is a much stronger material than plastic.

6. Rest your eyes

Just like our bodies, the eyes also need rest to perform optimally. Depriving yourself of adequate sleep and rest can have an adverse effect on the eyes. During the use of the computer, remember to rest the eyes for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes by looking away from the screen. Doing this will reduce eye strain.

7. Visit your eye doctor regularly

Getting regular eye exams is one of the most important things you can do for your eye health. Conditions like glaucoma are much easier to treat if they are discovered early, so don’t stay far from your doctor.

First Aid

Eye injuries can happen at any time, and it is good to know how to handle such emergencies until you can reach a medical professional.

  • If you get hit in the eyes, you should put a shield, like a Styrofoam cup, on the bone of the eye. Avoid putting pressure on the eye.
  • If something enters your eyes, avoid removing it, as it may lead to the tearing of important tissue in the eyes. A Styrofoam cup would also do the job here until you can get to a medical professional.
  • In the case of a black eye, putting an ice pack on the eye will help to reduce bruising and swelling.g
  • If it’s a chemical burn, rinse the eyes with clean water for about 30 minutes, holding your head beneath the tap. While rinsing, keep your eyes wide open, rolling your eyeballs in all directions so as to ensure the water gets to every part.

Sources & Resources

The information in this article is supported by research from the following authoritative health organizations:

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