Why Is It Important to Take Care of Your Eyes?

18-04-2020

Taking care of your eyes involves a lot more than just getting the right pair of corrective lenses. To maximize your vision, you should understand the importance of eyes and the steps on how to take care of your eyes daily.

Why is it important to take care of your eyes? Let’s explore.

Why is it important to take care of your eyes?

Your eyes help you see and navigate in your day-to-day life, so protecting them is paramount. Often, your eyes are even the first to show issues within the body, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

By understanding why it is important to take care of your eyes, you may be more likely to take steps toward improving your eye health.

Reason #1: You can fight back against eye diseases.

One of the top reasons to care for your eyes is to reduce your risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. How can you do this? While there’s no concrete evidence on what can prevent these eye problems, some research has indicated that consuming an antioxidant-rich diet may help.

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), here are some of the best antioxidants for your eye health:

Lutein and zeaxanthin
Omega-3 fatty acids
Vitamins C and E
Zinc

Reason #2: You may be less likely to get an eye injury.

Selecting the right type of eyewear for your lifestyle can help you avoid as much as 90 percent of injuries to the eye area. Since eye injuries can affect how well you see and your overall eye health, knowing the best glasses or contacts to get is essential.

Be sure to wear the right eyewear at home, work, and during athletic events. Both child and adult athletes can benefit from sports goggles, which offer superior eye protection and defense against glare.

Reason #3: You may be quicker to notice signs of your vision changing.

When you take steps to care for your eyes, you might be more aware of your vision. If you notice your vision is changing despite wearing your glasses all the time or if you’re experiencing any problems with your eyes, a trip to the eye doctor is necessary.

Here are some signs on when to get new glasses:

Squinting at times you usually wouldn’t
Fuzzy vision at various distances
Watching TV with one eye shut

How to Take Care of Your Eyes Daily

There are several ways to protect your eye health. First and foremost, you’ll want to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with an Independent Doctor of Optometry (or optometrist). It’s best to have one of these appointments per year to mitigate issues with your vision and ensure your eyes are in the best possible condition.

But what can you do before next year’s eye exam? You can take preventive steps to protect your eye health. Here are some simple tips on how to take care of your eyes daily:

Choose your eyewear accordingly. Wearing blue-light glasses while on the computer and UV-protective sunglasses while outdoors may be positive for your eyes. After all, blue-light glasses may help with digital eye strain, and UV-blocking sunglasses can limit your exposure to harmful sunlight.
Rest your eyes. Try for at least eight hours of sleep per day. You may need more or less, depending on your age and activity level. Also, in addition to sleeping, you can rest your eyes by taking frequent time away from the screen.
Sterilize your contacts. Debris can accumulate on your contact lenses, so it’s best to keep them clean to avoid getting an eye infection. Wash your contacts as often as the packaging explains, or opt for daily wear contacts if it’s too time-consuming to follow a regular cleaning schedule.

Summary: Why should you take care of your eyes?

Your eyes are critical to your everyday life beyond your vision. Why is it important to take care of your eyes? Taking steps to promote your eye health and safety can deter specific eye diseases and injuries. It can also help you identify changes in vision faster.

Here’s how to take care of your eyes daily:

Select the right eyewear for different activities.
Give your eyes plenty of rest. (And get some for yourself, too!)
Clean your contacts often, or choose a kind that you can throw away.

Another way to manage your eye health is to have regular eye appointments with an optometrist. If you need help scheduling an exam, please get in touch. We’re just a phone call away.