What do you know about the world of eye care? People often take their eyesight for granted until an issue arises. It’s important that you take good care of your eyes and know what to do when it comes to appointments with an optometrist. Consider the following advice as you look more into the field of eye care.
When selecting an eye care professional, do not skimp when it comes to doing your homework on each prospective doctor’s qualifications. Check their educational background, certifications and licensure to ensure that everything is as represented. Doing these things will help you feel confident when it comes to entrusting the health of your eyes to someone new.
Are you a smoker? If so, stop. Smoking increases the chance that you will have problems with your eyes, like cataracts and macular degeneration. It can be hard to quit, but never stop trying. Even if you’ve failed in the past, you still have a good chance of being able to quit in the future.
If you regularly wear contacts, keep a pair of backup prescription eye glasses. When experiencing irritation in the eye, you should remove the contact and wear a pair of prescription eye glasses. Keeping a contact lens in your eye while the eye is irritated can turn this seemingly small problem into something much larger, such as corneal ulcer.
If you work in an environment where particles or objects may become airborne, wear safety goggles. Though many construction sites require them, other professions may not. Look around at your work environment. Consider how the various objects may encounter your eyes. If you perceive potential danger, purchase a pair of safety glasses.
Don’t smoke. Along with other things, smoking can really damage your eyes. It can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, and optic nerve damage. Not only that, but it is harmful in other ways to other areas of your body. If you are having a hard time quitting smoking, keep trying, it will be worth it when you are successful.
If you spend a lot of time on the computer, take regular breaks. For a minute or two each hour, focus on a distant object. This will allow your eyes to readjust. You will experience less eye strain and reduce the number of headaches that you experience throughout the week.
Do you play sports? Certain contact sports, like lacrosse and ice hockey, can be dangerous for your eyes. Make sure you wear either sports goggles or a face mask to limit your risk. While it may seem strange to wear them at first, you will quickly get used to them.
Make sure to consume copious amounts of Vitamin A during the course of the day. Vitamin A is great for helping to reduce the inflammation and irritation that you may feel, which can cause dryness. Foods that have high sources of this vitamin include carrots, chicken, potatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes.
Quit smoking immediately. Smoking is terrible for your eyes as it will restrict the blood flow that you need to keep your eyes functioning properly. Additionally, smoking can disrupt your immune system, which is needed to flush out the free radicals in your body. This will make you feel better while improving the health of your eyes.
Try to always wear sunglasses if you are going to be out in the sun. Having your eyes exposed to too much ultraviolet makes you more susceptible to getting macular degeneration and cataracts. Make sure you choose sunglasses that block from 99% to 100% of the UVB and UVA rays.
Eye care is extremely important. Think about all the ways we use our eyes. Imagine not having the eyesight you need to accomplish your daily tasks. It’s imperative that you know about the world of eye care so that you can stay on top of having good eyesight as you age.
