Posted by: Eye Specialists of Mid Florida in Blog
Healthy Vision Month is celebrated every May in the US to emphasize the importance of eye health. Healthy Vision Month is a time to stress the importance of vision and allow patients to learn how to keep their eyes healthy. Routine eye exams can help your eye doctor prevent, diagnose, and treat vision problems and eye disease in children and adults. In addition, the National Eye Institute recommends several ways to maintain healthy vision.
- Wash your hands before putting contact lenses in or taking them out.
- Replace your contact lens case every 1-3 months and replace your lenses based on your doctor’s recommended wearing schedule.
- Use fresh solution to clean and store contacts
Don’t:
- “Top off” the solution in your contact lens case.
- Wear contacts while swimming or showering.
- Share contacts with friends or family
- Wear sunglasses outside. Ultraviolet (UV) rays exposure has been proven to be a cause of cataracts and macular degeneration. Specific lenses and sunglasses can protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays; look for glasses that show the UVA/UVB protection levels. Your sunglasses should protect your eyes from 99% of UVA and UVB rays.
- Live a healthy lifestyle. Some vision problems can be caused by systemic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Eat right to protect your sight! Green leafy vegetables and foods high in omega 3s such as tuna and salmon can benefit your eyes. Abstain from smoking, as tobacco products create a higher risk of developing cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration.
- Give your eyes a break. Today, most people use computers and digital devices for work, school, and everyday life. Long periods of time on phones, computers, and tablets can cause eye fatigue, dry eye, and headaches. We tend to blink less often when using electronic devices, causing dry eye syndrome—making it a habit of blinking more often and using over-the-counter lubricating drops while using the computer can prevent and relieve dry eye symptoms. Don’t forget to follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a rest while on the computer.
In addition to getting routine exams, visit your eye care professional if you have:
- Sudden decreased vision
- Eye pain
- Drainage or redness of the eye
- Double vision
- Floaters (tiny specks that appear to float in your vision)
At Eye Specialists of Mid-Florida, we can help protect your vision! Call us at 800-282-3937 to schedule your next exam or visit us online at EYESFL.COM. Dr. Chelsea Hollier is a board-certified optometrist who sees patients at the Lakeland-Highlands location for Eye Specialists of Mid-Florida. She specializes in primary care optometry and is currently accepting new patients.
