6 Eye Care Tips from Optometrists

Every day you rely on your eyes to provide insights and color to your world. Because the eyes work faithfully day after day, you may forget to take care of them. Review these six eye care tips from optometrists.

Eye exams

It’s essential to have your eyes checked by an eye doctor. During a comprehensive eye exam, the doctor will check your eyes’ healthiness, including alignment and muscle coordination. The American Academy of Ophthalmology provides five eye exam tips for adults:

1. If your eyes are healthy and vision is good, you probably only need a comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist once in your 20s and twice in your 30s.
2. Contact wearers should schedule annual eye exams to maintain healthy eyes.
3. At age 40, signs of eye disease and vision changes can develop. Make sure to schedule a complete eye exam to establish a baseline of your vision and eye health. This will help your eye doctor detect changes during future eye exams.
4. Starting at age 65, have your eyes checked every 1-2 years. The optometrist will look for signs of age-related eye disease, like cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Learn how to keep your eyes healthy after age 60.
5. If you have diabetes or a family history of eye disease, your eye doctor may want to schedule eye exams more frequently. Early treatment of eye conditions can help maintain healthy eyes and better vision.

Eyestrain

Most people spend hours every day starring at digital devices. About 50% of users forget to look up and blink periodically while using their devices. Blinking helps keep your eyes moist, so they don’t dry out and become painful. Working on computers also can cause eyestrain and headaches. Eye doctors offer this tip: Every 20 minutes, look at least 20 feet away for about 20 seconds to reduce eyestrain. And when your eyes feel tired, close your eyes, and place a cool cloth over them for a few minutes.

Contacts

If you wear contacts, schedule regular eye exams, as directed by your eye doctor. When wearing contacts, you probably touch your eyes and lenses frequently during the day. So it’s easy to develop an infection. And, never rinse your contacts in tap water. Regular water can contain germs and cause an eye infection. Instead, use a sterile saline solution.

Computer glasses

If you spend several hours daily working on a computer, gaming on digital devices or watching television, you could develop eyestrain. Talk with your eye doctor about wearing computer glasses designed to screen out blue light. Too much blue light from electronic devices can damage your retina, increasing the risk of developing macular degeneration.

Note: If you use reading glasses to help you see better when working on the computer, they may not provide the vision assistance your eyes need. Discuss eyewear options with your eye doctor.

Cosmetics

Eye makeup and lash extensions can enhance your look, but make sure they don’t damage your eyes. Some people are allergic to the glue used with lash extensions; others have developed chemical burns. Make sure to have a certified cosmetic professional affix the lashes to your eyes in a sterile environment to prevent infection. Also, keep your eyes healthy by replacing mascara every four to six months, and eye shadow at least once a year.

Smoking

Over 13%, or 34.2 million, of American adults smoke cigarettes. Nearly 75% of them smoke every day. Most people who smoke are probably aware that smoking can cause medical problems. But they may not know that smoking also can affect their vision. Medical experts report that smokers are at an increased risk of developing cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome and age-related macular degeneration.

Did you know there is growing interest in online eye exams? It’s especially appealing to people concerned about social distancing, or those wanting to save time due to multiple work and family commitments. Before making your next eye appointment, review this information to determine if an online eye exam is the best choice for you.

Sources and References:
Reader’s Digest
WebMD