02/01/2025
Credit: NU-VISION EYE CLINIC
EYE MISTAKES YOU MIGHT BE MAKING
📌 ARE YOU OVERLOOKING YOUR EYES?
Your eyes are easy to take for granted, but your vision is too important for that. It might be time to take a closer look at your eye-care routines to see if you’re doing more harm than good.
Here Are Some Ways You May Be Taking Your Eyes For Granted.
📌 YOU DO NOT GET ANNUAL EYE EXAMS
It's a good idea to see your eye doctor each year to make sure all is well, especially once you’re over 40.
They’ll check how well you can see, and they might put drops in your eyes to dilate, or widen, your pupils to help them to check for serious issues like glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, hypertensive retinopathy, cataract, macular degeneration, etc.
📍 How Often Should You Get Your Eyes Checked?
How often you’ll get checked depends on things like your:
• Age
• Overall health
• Family medical history
📌 YOU IGNORE IRRITATED EYES
Red, watery eyes that itch, ache or burn can be a telltale sign of allergies or presence of a refractive error.
But you may have a more serious issue or an infection if they also:
▪︎ Hurt (pain)
▪︎ Feel gritty (like sand in eyes)
▪︎ Are sensitive to light
▪︎ Have a thick or mucus-like discharge
▪︎ Have blurry vision that is new and not getting better
It’s important to see your eye doctor right away if you notice any of those symptoms. An untreated infection can damage your eyes. You can also spread it to people around you.
📌 YOU DONT PROTECT YOUR EYE FROM THE SUN
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can make you more likely to have cataracts at a youinger age, macular degeneration, or a condition called pterygium (when tissue grows over the white part of your eye).
Look for sunglasses that block out at least 99% of both UVA and UVB rays or talk to your Optometrist about proper photochromic lenses.
📌 YOU RUB YOUR EYES
This can irritate them and damage blood vessels. It can also make whatever is troubling you worse.
Your hands constantly pick up germs that don’t need to be anywhere near your eyes. Make sure your hands are clean if you need to touch your eyes.
📌 YOU SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON SCREENS
Using the computer, tablet, or even your smartphone strains your eye muscles. Long periods of screen time can make your eyes tired, red, teary and cause headaches.
📍 What Helps?
▪︎ The 20-20-20 rule is an easy way to keep that from happening: Look at something 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes of using the computer.
▪︎ You should take a break from your computer every 5 - 10 minutes, or more often if possible. Short, frequent breaks are better than longer, less frequent breaks.
▪︎ Taking breaks can help reduce eye strain, increase blood flow, and avoid aches and pains.
▪︎ Blink often to keep your eyes moist or lubricated.
▪︎ Speak to your Optometrist about good quality anti-glare or anti blue light coated lenses for use with computers, phones and for night driving, too.
📌 YOU SKIP CONTACT LENS CARE (For Contact Lens Users)
To keep your eyes healthy, clean, disinfect and store your contact lenses with the solution your doctor recommends - never water or saliva - and store them in a proper case. Change the solution in the case regularly and replace the contact lens case every 3 months.
It’s also really important to take out your contact lenses before you go to bed.
Poor contact lens hygiene or improper contact lens use cause issues; from mild infection to corneal damage.
📍 YOU LEAVE MAKEUP ON
Leftover particles of mascara, eyeliner, or eye shadow can fall into your eyes and lead to infection. It’s important to take off eye makeup completely every night. If your eyes are red and start to hurt, see your eye doctor right away.
📌 YOU DO NOT WEAR SAFETY GLASSES
The right protection is key to prevent eye injuries when you’re working around the house, in the workplace or playing sports.
Depending on the activity, you might need:
▪︎ Safety glasses or goggles
▪︎ A safety shield
▪︎ Eye guards
Before you start a new activity, do a bit of homework to make sure you cover all the bases to keep your eyes safe.
📌 YOU DO NOT KNOW YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
It’s important for your eye doctor to know if any eye conditions run in your family.
That way, they'll check you for them regularly and start treatment right away if a problem comes up.
For example, two of the most common causes of blindness - Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration - are believed to be linked to the genes (hereditary).
📌 YOU DO NOT WEAR YOUR GLASSES
Your vision changes over time. Staying on top of those changes is key to keep your eyes healthy.
Make sure your lens (glasses) prescription is up to date by having an eye exam with a refraction to review your lens prescription at most every 18 months, especially if you're presbyopic or about 40 years.
📌 YOU SMOKE
This can be as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. It can make you more likely to:
• Get cataracts
• Damage your optic nerve
• Have macular degeneration
All of those can lead to Eye problems and vision loss.
Credit: Nu-vision Eye Clinic
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