- During the time of summer, wear sunglasses with complete ultraviolet protection. UVR comes from the sun and may also be reflected off surfaces such as water or sand. Too much exposure to UVR can cause photokeratitis or photo conjunctivitis (more commonly known as “snow blindness”) in the short-term. Continual UVR exposure, particularly exposure to UVB rays may cause cataracts development, pterygium (a non-cancerous growth over the cornea) or skin cancer of the eyelids.
- Quit smoking, or if you haven’t smoke yet, do not. It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration, among many other medical problems. If you’ve tried to kick the habit before only to start again, keep at it. The more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask your doctor for help.
- Wash hands and avoid rubbing your eyes. The best way to protect yourself from the spread of communicable disease is simply to wash your hands on a regular basis. This practice is crucial to avoid contracting eye-related conditions such as conjunctivitis. You often develop conjunctivitis after touching something that someone else has touched after they rubbed their eyes.
- Use Safety Eyewear. If you use hazardous or airborne materials on the job or at home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles. Sports like ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to an eye injury. Wear eye protection. Helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses will shield your eyes.
- Do wear hats, during summer. Even if you wear sunglasses every time you go outside, you are not offering complete UVR protection to your eyes and eyelids. Sunglasses usually have gaps along the sides where UVR exposure occurs. While you wear your sunglasses, minimize your risk and add a hat with a brim at least 3 inches wide. Consistent use of hats and sunglasses significantly decreases your UVR exposure.
- Look away from the computer screen often. Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause problems such as eye strain, blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance, dry eyes, headaches, neck, back, and shoulder pain. Hence, to protect your eyes, you should make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen. Move the screen so your eyes are level with the top of the monitor. That lets you look slightly down at the screen. Also, rest your eyes every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get up at least every 2 hours and take a 15-minute break.
- Visit an eye doctor regularly. Everyone needs a regular eye exam, even young children. It helps protect your sight and lets you see your best. Eye exams can also find diseases, like glaucoma, that have no symptoms. It’s important to spot them early on when they’re easier to treat.
- Get adequate sleep. Although you know how important it is to get a good night’s rest, you may find it hard to get the sleep you need, particularly with a busy lifestyle. However, your eyes are counting on you to be rested.
- Use eye drops. Sometimes, despite your best attempts, you need to use some kind of eye drops to minimize pain or manage other eye problems. This can be especially true for those going through glaucoma surgery recovery. If you have allergies that make your eyes feel tired or excessively dry, you may also benefit from ketotifen eye drops. However, you should also consult an eye doctor to discuss a chronic need for eye drops.
- Eat healthily and drink plenty of water. There are many foods rich in nutrients that improve your eyesight and help prevent the development of long-term vision problems. Also, drinking plenty of water each day can prevent and reverse many of the negative effects of dehydration, as well as providing fluid for normal eye function.