Keeping your eyes healthy is a vital component of every person’s overall health. There are simple steps that you can take to make sure that you keep you seeing your best. The following tips can help you maintain healthy eyes throughout your life.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam.

Going to see your eye care specialist on a routine basis is a must for keeping your eyes healthy. Issues that can arise and eventually lead to vision problems, can often go undetected. Once symptoms or warning signs appear, the underlying problem could be too late to address.

This is why it is important to get a comprehensive eye exam at least once every two years. If you are over the age of 50, you should go once a year. Make sure that this exam includes the eye dilation. This procedure is the most effective way to detect the presence or early signs of eye diseases like glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. Plus, it is always good to have your eyesight tested in order to see if eyeglasses or contacts are needed to provide you with the best vision possible.

Learn about your family’s eye health history.

Talking to your family members about their eye health. Do a majority of your relatives wear glasses or contacts? Do any of them suffer from eye diseases or conditions that prevent them from having good vision. It’s important to know this history since many of these problems are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.

Eat right to protect your sight.

Eating healthy is good for your whole body so it’s only natural that this goes for your eyes as well. It is true that having vegetables like the almighty carrot as a part of your diet is good for your eyes but also eating other vegetables and fruits can help keep your eyes healthy. Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens along as well as fish like salmon, tuna and halibut are particularly beneficial.

Keep an eye on the scale

If you are overweight or obese, you increase your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma.

Maintaining a healthy weight will give your peepers a much better chance at staying healthy.

Wear protective eyewear.

It may not be the most fashionable thing to do but wearing protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home can go a long way in keeping your eyes out of harm’s way. Whether it’s using tools in the workshop or equipment out in the yard, safety glasses and goggles can prevent injuries to your eyes that cause permanent damage to your vision. If your part of your job requires protective eyewear, always wear them and encourage your coworkers to do the same.

Put down the smokes (or never pick them up).

By now, everyone knows that smoking is not good for your body and this includes your eyes. Smoking has been linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness. Keeping your eyes healthy is cool. Smoking is not.

Sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement.

Sunglasses can add that cool factor to your appearance but they perform a much more important job than that. They help protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation are ideal.

Take a break.

Just like our entire body, our eyes can get tired from overuse. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain.

Keep it clean.

Make a habit of washing your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. This practice will help you avoid the risk of infection. Disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them when appropriate.

At Andes Optical, we care about you and your eyes. Feel free to call us with any questions about how best to keep your eyes healthy. If you need eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses or contacts, we hope that you will come see us at our convenient West Knoxville location at 4613 Papermill Dr. NW, Knoxville, TN 37909 or call us at 865-584-8551. Let us show you that quality eyewear can be affordable.