8 tips to help you protect your vision

C. Jane Eddins, OD

Optometry

From the moment you wake up until you go to bed at night, your eyes are working to bring you the world. In fact, your eyes deliver 80% of the information you take in every day, which is why it’s important to protect your vision.
 
Optometrist Jane Eddins, OD, said, “Having a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the best thing you can do to protect your vision, especially if you are at a higher risk of eye disease.”

A comprehensive dilated eye exam is a procedure that allows your eyecare physician to get a good look at the back of the eye to check for signs of eye disease. With early detection, treatment can slow or stop vision loss and reduce the risk of blindness.
 
Here are eight tips to help you protect your vision:

1. Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
2. Know your family’s eye health history. It is important to know if any of your family members have been diagnosed with any eye diseases, since many are hereditary.
3. Protect your eyes – at work and play. You can help protect your eyes from injury by wearing protective eyewear like safety glasses, goggles and safety shields.
4. Give your eyes a rest. When doing extended close work, every 20 minutes look up from your work and focus on letters or numbers 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This reduces eyestrain and helps your eyes feel better at the end of the day.
5. Wear sunglasses, even on cloudy days. Sunglasses help protect the eyes from damaging sun rays.
6. Eat healthy – a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially the dark leafy greens, is vital for eye health.
7. Quit smoking or never start.
8. Understand how certain diseases, including diabetes, can affect your eye health.

Dr. Eddins said, “Taking care of your eyes should have the same level of priority as your diet and physical activity. Healthy vision is essential in our daily lives, from driving a car to picking out what you want to eat at a restaurant.”