Six Lifestyle Habits To Ensure Healthy Eyesight

They say the eyes are the gateway to your soul. They’re also the gateway to your overall physical health. Be sure to keep your eyes happy and healthy with these easy tips. Really, these are things to do regardless, but they are equally important to your vision as they are to your overall wellbeing.

1. The Importance Of Complete Eye Exams

Visiting your optometrist on a regular basis is probably one of the most important parts of maintaining healthy vision. Complete eye exams are extremely important, regardless of your age or physical health. Your doctor will not only assess your prescription, but will also be able to determine if your vision health for things like eye disease.

2. Don’t Smoke. Period.

First and foremost, smoking is bad. Right? Right! Well, not only is it bad for your lungs and other aspects of your general well-being, but it also affects your eyesight. Tobacco can cause things like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and will put you at an increased risk of developing cataracts, according to CNIB.

3. Protect Your Eyes – Indoors and Out

Though wearing sunglasses is always a good thing, protect your eyes even further by wearing UV-filtered sunglasses. The same UV rays that can cause sunburns and of course, skin cancer, can also adversely affect your sight. Things like retinal damage, cataracts, and of course, skin cancer around the eyes.

Protecting your eyes also includes when you’re indoors, from safety hazards and from possible airborne materials. It’s important to wear safety glasses or protective goggles to prevent any damage while at work or at home. Sports can also cause unwanted harm – getting a puck in the eye, or a blade to the face is quite dangerous so it’s important to wear protective eyewear when playing sports.

4. Food For Sight

Food isn’t just for the stomach. And healthy food isn’t just for weight control. Eating healthy will help you maintain healthy vision for years to come. Be sure to include vitamins, minerals, fats and other essential nutrients in your diet. Eye-healthy foods include “greens” such as spinach, kale and collards; non-meat proteins like eggs, nuts, beans; citrus fruits and juices like oranges; and of course oily fishes such as tuna and salmon.

5. Exercise

Sure exercise is important for maintaining a healthy weight as well as decreasing health risks and diseases. But exercise also positively affects your sight. By leading an active lifestyle, you are less likely to develop health issues such as type 2 diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of blindness in adults.

6. Take A Break From Technology

Working long-term on computers, smartphones and/or tablets can also cause unwanted harm to your eyes. Staring at screens for lengthy periods of time can cause blurry vision, headaches, eyestrain, trouble focusing, as well as other physical problems like head, neck and back pain. Be sure to look away from the screen on a regular basis, or even get up and walk around. Give your eyes, and body, a little break.