Entire day, through waking up, working, having fun, and spending time with your friends and family, your eyes are constantly providing you with information. According to research, we rely on our eyes for information about the world of 80% of the time. Therefore, these two organs are crucial for our well-being and life satisfaction.
The eyes are no different from any other organ because they too are affected by our overall health and our treatment of them. In order to keep your eyes healthy and sharp, you need to offer them great support in the form of healthy habits. If you want to give your eyes the best shot at being healthy for a long time, here are a few habits to practice every day:
Don’t touch your eyes
Many of us have an unhealthy habit of touching our face dozens of times a day and many of these actions result in touching the eye with dirty hands. No matter if we’re fixing eyebrows, taking hair off our face, or rubbing our eyes when we are tired, all of these natural reactions can bring bacteria to the eye and even cause damage to the organ. As a result of touching your eyes and face, you can easily develop infections and get sick. Luckily, regular hand washing, as well as avoidance of touching your eyes and face, can prevent this issue.
Sport shades
Most of us see sunglasses just as another accessory, but they are much more beneficial to our eye health than you thought. Quality sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection save the eye from damaging sun’s rays, so make sure to always wear your pair when going outside. And don’t let the cloudy and snowy weather fool you—UV radiation can affect your eyes even in non-typical summer weather.
Protect your eyes from screens
Today, it’s very hard to avoid the use of screens when most of us have smartphones, TVs, computers, and various other digital devices we need to stay on for hours a day. These devices might make our lives easier and more fun, but they also expose our eyes to blue light that can be very harmful and triggering for eye strain, headaches, and sleep cycle disruption. Luckily, there is a way to continue using these precious screens without soaking up all the negative effects of blue light—wear blue-light-blocking eyewear. These special glasses are covered with a film that filters out harmful blue rays, so you can use your screens without strain and headaches.
Improve your eyesight
If you wear seeing glasses, make sure to book regular appointments and adjust your prescription. The same goes with contact lenses that also need to be kept in special solutions and changed regularly. If you want to save your eyes from the trouble of glasses and lenses, you can also look into eye surgery. Today, there are minimally-invasive procedures available all over the US. For instance, if looking for laser eye surgery New York, you’ll be greeted with the best doctors and best equipment on the market. These treatments can take care of your stigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism with a 95% success rate.
Adopt a 20-20-20 rule
When working on your computer, make sure to practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for at least 20 seconds and focus on an object at least 20 feet away. This action encourages blinking and lubrication of the eyeball and relaxes the eye muscles.
Add more vitamin A and D to your diet
Vitamin A is crucial for proper eye health because it protects the cornea and improves the function of the retina. It’s so important to ingest this vitamin that its deficiency can cause night blindness, and in extreme cases, even complete blindness. Luckily, it’s easy to add vitamin A and vitamin D to your diet through green veggies, carrots, fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and supplements.
Quit smoking
Smoking is a habit that has many negative effects on the human body, eyes included. According to research, people who smoke have a higher possibility of developing age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, dry eyes, vision loss, and blindness. If you’re a smoker, do your best to stop as soon as possible. Many programs help with nicotine addiction, as well as nicotine replacement devices and products.
If you treat your eyes with care and respect today, you will be able to rely on healthy vision for many years to come. Practice these habits regularly and your vision will be better than ever!
Contributing Writer
Eliana Davison is a Writer/Marketing Specialist with a high interest in wellness and a healthy lifestyle. A fashion enthusiast with the aim to inspire people with her writing.