Eye Health - How do I Keep My Eyes Healthy?
There are some pretty simple things you can do to maintain good eye health as you grow older. With a few simple habits, we can help keep your eyes healthier for longer. Make an appointment!
Note: This post was originally published on merivalevisioncare.com or wellingtonvisioncare.com. Merivale Vision Care is now Vision Care Merivale and Wellington Vision Care is now Vision Care Wellington, part of Vision Care Ottawa.
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A healthy body is all the rage these days. We love hearing about the next great workout or the newest superfood, but have you ever thought about your eye health?
There are some pretty simple things you can do to maintain good eye health as you grow up or grow older - whether we like it or not, it happens to everybody. With a few simple habits, we can help keep your eyes healthier for longer.
Technology Breaks:
We spend a lot of time on our devices which emit “blue light” - a type of light similar to UV rays because it has a shorter wavelength. These aren’t great for our eyes; studies have recently shown that too much exposure to blue light can lead to early onset retina-cell death. This is all good to know, but what’s to be done? Our doctors recommend taking regular breaks from your device every 20 minutes or so. They don’t have to be long - you can look at something in the distance for a few minutes; like your neighbor's cat next door, for instance. The important thing is to give your eyes a break from being so close to radiation-emitting light.
You can also download this nifty app on your computer that was created to reduce the blue light coming from your screen.
Sun Protection:
Those darn UV rays are at it again. This time, they come from Mother Nature, whose rays can result in wrinkles and moles around the eye area (no thank you!), not to mention far scarier problems like macular degeneration, cataracts, and a whole bunch of other issues that are no fun.
Look for sunglasses that provide proper coverage around the eye area and fit close to your face. It’s also very important to invest in a quality pair of sunglasses (preferably from yours truly - check out our fun blog post about sunnies here <- link back to frames and face shape post) to ensure that the UV protection is built into the lense for optimal protection and not simply a film that’s applied to it. If you have a pair of sunnies that you’re curious about, we have a very cool machine called a UV meter that can test the spectrum of your sunnies.
A Healthy Diet:
Like most parts of the body, your eyes need proper nourishment too. Look for food sources high in Vitamin A - kale, spinach, orange peppers, and eggs are all good eye-foods. If you take supplements, look for products with Lutein And Zeaxanthin - these are ingredients that our body doesn’t produce and can help prevent macular degeneration.
Regular Eye Exams:
And now, for a little shameless self-promotion. But seriously, we don’t want you to come in when you’re 65 with all sorts of issues that could have been prevented by coming to hang out with us more often when you were in your 20’s and 30’s. Our doctors and staff are experts in their field and tons of fun to be around, so you get a fun experience and healthy eyes - it’s a win-win!
Your next step is clear
Whether you need a routine eye exam or specialized care, our team is here for you.