With the new year here, this is the perfect time to pay close attention to your eye health. You should consider hitting the reset button on some of your habits and adopting new ones that promote your health. This includes your eye and vision health.
Are you the type of individual that sets new year’s goals? If not, you should consider doing so. For many people around the world, tradition dictates starting the new year with beneficial resolutions. Perhaps you are planning to eat healthier, exercise more, stop smoking, or achieve your financial goals.
That is quite admirable, especially since such resolutions can have a bigger positive ripple effect than you expect.
As each year passes, your organs, including your eyes, grow weaker and lose some functionality. As you age, you become more susceptible to eye and vision conditions. These include age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and more. So when it comes to your eye health, here are a few resolutions you should set and keep:
One of the most effective things you can do to protect your eye and vision health is right in front of you. When you think about it, your eye doctor is the one person you can depend on to help keep your eyes healthy.
An annual eye examination is more important than most people think. Your eye doctor can detect the early stages of a wide range of eye diseases. As everyone knows, early detection and intervention are always better than cure.
Spending prolonged periods staring at digital screens can lead to various eye and vision problems, such as eyestrain. You may not be able to reduce your screen time at work. However, you should give your eyes some much-needed relief when you get home.
Furthermore, spending less time staring at your TV, computer, or mobile device screen will give you more time to spend with your loved ones. It will give you the time to connect with people around you and pursue other enriching activities and experiences.
This year, you should consider eating more leafy greens. A diet rich in leafy greens and fruits can play a huge role in reducing your risk of developing sight-stealing conditions such as age-related macular degeneration. Leafy greens and fruits are rich in antioxidants called zeaxanthin and lutein. These antioxidants are in high concentration in your eye’s macula.
You need to understand that UV exposure can have a seriously negative effect on your eyes. It can lead to the early development of cataracts. This is in addition to an increased likelihood of developing several other eye and vision conditions. Thus, buying a good set of UV sunglasses can give you a world of good.
Other new year resolutions that can help keep your eyes healthy include:
Give your eyes a break by taking out your contact lenses
Monitor your cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels
Quit smoking and drinking too much alcohol
Talk to your family about their eye health issues
Follow healthier hand hygiene practices
Take a more careful look at your makeup bag or routine
To learn more about keeping your eyes healthy, contact Madeira Optical at our office in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can call (513) 561-7076 today to schedule an appointment.