Protect Your Eyes

Vision is one of your most important faculties, so you should be mindful about protecting your eyes. When possible, wear sunglasses, goggles, or safety glasses to avoid injury. Visit an eye doctor regularly, eat nutrient-rich foods, and get ample sleep to ensure eye health. Avoid eye strain caused by TV and computer monitors, as well as reading in dim lighting, and rest your eyes regularly to avoid fatigue.

Steps

Shielding Your Eyes

  1. Invest in good-quality sunglasses. Too much sun exposure can damage your eyes at any time of year, even through cloud cover. Protect yourself with sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat.[1] Glass lenses are more durable, scratch-resistant, and more expensive than polycarbonate lenses, but both options offer the possibility of precise UV protection; while prices may vary between designer brands and discount stores models, what matters most is the protection level that the glasses offer.[2] Read the label and look for glasses that block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays; UV light can cause cataracts and destroy your retinas.[3]
    • To ensure full UV protection, make sure that your sunglasses fit properly.
  2. Wear safety glasses or goggles. When doing anything that may result in you getting particles, fumes, or debris in your eyes, be sure to wear protective glasses or goggles. Such activities could include home repairs, yardwork, woodworking, or other similar endeavors. Most eye injuries are entirely preventable, so it is worth the effort to protect your eyes from harm.[4]
  3. Play safely. There are reportedly over 200,000 sports-related eye injuries a year in the U.S., many of which could be prevented with proper eyewear. Wear safety glasses when playing intensive games like baseball, ball hockey, basketball, and squash. Do your best to stay alert and vigilant with all sports activity, and avoid unnecessary risks.[5]
  4. Avoid rubbing your eyes. Rubbing your eyes too often can cause them damage in several ways. Since your hands carry a large number of germs, rubbing your eyes can cause the direct transfer of these germs and lead to infections like conjunctivitis. It can also exacerbate pre-existing eye conditions like progressive myopia and glaucoma. Aggressive rubbing can damage your cornea as well.[6] If your eyes itch due to allergies, rubbing them can make the reaction more severe.[7]
    • See an eye doctor if your eyes itch often, or if they itch too much to resist rubbing. You may have allergies or another treatable condition.

Keeping Your Eyes Healthy

  1. Get an eye exam done at least every 2 years. As an adult, you should visit an eye doctor every couple of years to ensure good eye health. If you don't already see an eye doctor, ask your family doctor for a referral, or ask friends and family for recommendations. If you experience conditions like vision loss, pain, or irritation, make an appointment immediately; many eye conditions are treatable if addressed early. Eye doctors will test for disease and measure your visual acuity; they may give you a prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, or recommend corrective eye surgery depending on the condition of your eyesight.[8]
  2. Use eye drops properly. Whether you use artificial tears to relieve dry eyes or medicated drops prescribed by an eye doctor, eye drops are an important part of treating and protecting your vision. While many people have trouble inserting eye drops, it is important to know how to do it properly to ensure that your eyes receive the necessary care. To correctly put in eye drops:[9]
    • Wash your hands and remove contact lenses, if necessary.
    • Lie down or tilt your head back and keep your eye open, concentrating on a spot on the ceiling.
    • Place your finger about an inch under your eye and pull downwards, creating a small pocket under your eyeball.
    • Use your free hand to hold the eyedrop bottle (or eyedropper) downwards over the pocket above your lower eyelid.
    • Squeeze the bottle or eyedropper lightly to insert one drop.
    • Remove your hand from your face, gently close your eye, and wait for the drop to be absorbed.
  3. Get the right nutrition. Diet is an important part of staying healthy, and eye health is no exception. Try to eat foods containing vitamins C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, zeaxanthin, and lutein to promote vision health. Foods rich in these nutrients include:[10]
    • spinach
    • kale
    • grapefruit
    • strawberries
    • brussel sprouts
    • oranges
    • almonds
    • sunflower seeds
  4. Get more sleep. Your eye health is greatly affected by whether or not you get enough sleep. In the short term, fatigue can cause eye strain, dry eyes, eye spasms, and blurred vision. In the long-term, lack of sleep can lead to damage to the optic nerve, which can cause pain and impaired vision.[11] To prevent these issues, improve your sleep by:
    • going to sleep and getting up at the same time every day
    • getting outside more during the day
    • exercising regularly during daytime hours
    • limiting caffeine and nicotine

Avoiding Eye Strain

  1. Watch less TV. Proximity to a TV screen will not cause long-term damage to your eyes, but prolonged viewing of television can still be harmful. Watching a lot of TV (more than four hours a day) can cause eye strain and fatigue, which in turn can cause blurred vision. Exposure to TV should be limited, particularly for young children.[12]
    • Sitting too close to the TV may be an indicator, and not a cause, of vision problems in children.
  2. Adjust your computer monitor. It is important to protect your eyes from eye strain when at the computer, particularly if your job requires you to be looking at a computer screen for the bulk of the day. If possible, upgrade your computer screen to an LCD model, which is easier on the eyes than older models. Adjust your computer display settings to reduce eye strain – adjust the brightness to match the brightness of your surrounding work area, and adjust text size to make reading more comfortable. Look up from your screen or get up from your desk as often as possible to give your eyes a break. [13]
  3. Be careful when reading. Always make sure to read in good lighting; reading in dim lighting can cause eye strain over time. Purchase a reading lamp or gooseneck lamp to better adjust your lighting when reading. Be sure to take frequent breaks to rest your eyes.[14]

Warnings

  • Even with sunglasses on, never stare directly at the sun. This can damage your retina, weakening your vision for months, or potentially forever.[15]
  • Never point a laser into your eye. This can cause permanent retinal damage.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun
  2. ↑ http://www.sunglasspicks.com/material-tints-and-coatings/
  3. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/features/how-to-pick-good-sunglasses#1
  4. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/hygiene-tips/how-to-care-for-your-eyes1.htm
  5. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/hygiene-tips/how-to-care-for-your-eyes1.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.visioneyeinstitute.com.au/article/dangers-rubbing-eyes/
  7. ↑ http://visionsource.com/blog/rubbing-your-eyes-can-do-more-harm-than-good/
  8. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/vision-basics
  9. ↑ http://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/applying-eye-drops.htm
  10. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/nutrition-world-3/foods-eye-health
  11. ↑ http://www.ehnpc.com/blog/detail/2012/11/20/how-lack-of-sleep-affects-your-vision.html
  12. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talk-tv-eyesight/
  13. ↑ http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/irritated.htm
  14. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/hygiene-tips/how-to-care-for-your-eyes2.htm
  15. ↑ http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy
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