According to Johns Hopkins researchers, some 61 million Americans are at risk of losing their vision, and many of those cases are preventable. No, you can’t prevent a car accident or a blow to the head during sports, but there are a number of things you can resolve to do this coming year to make your eyes healthy and happy.
At Retina Specialists, our team of board-certified ophthalmologists believes that doctors and patients together can ensure a lifetime of good sight. That’s why they’ve put together this list for what you can do to ensure your eyes stay healthy.
Here’s the path light travels as it moves through the eye:
Light bounces off an object and enters the eye through this tough, transparent tissue on the orb’s surface, which also bends the light to make the image clearer.
This is the colored part of the eye, but, more than that, it’s responsible for changing the size of the pupil.
A hole in the iris’s center, it widens to let in more light when it’s dark and narrows to block extra light when there’s too much, giving us vision in daytime and at dusk.
The lens bends the incoming light further, controlling our eyes' focus, whether the object is close or far.
This clear gel fills the chamber between the back of the lens and the retina. It helps the eye keep its shape and remain nourished.
This tissue at the back of the eye contains photoreceptor cells that convert incoming light into electrical signals. The central 2% of the tissue is called the macula, and it’s responsible for giving us our clear central vision.
This highly sensitive nerve receives the retina’s electrical signals and sends them to the brain, which decodes the image we see.
Your vision is precious, and you want to protect it at all times. Here are 7 ways to keep your eyes healthy and happy.
Foods high in vitamin A, such as carrots, squash, and pumpkin, are essential to eye health. So are dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards, which contain the antioxidant lutein.
Stopping smoking is good for your whole body, full stop. For your eyes, quitting lowers your risk for age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and optic nerve damage.
You put sunscreen on when you go out, so why don’t you protect your eyes as well as your skin? Look for sunglasses with large lenses that block both UVA and UVB radiation.
You should also wear goggles or some form of eye protection when you use a hammer, nail gun, chemicals, or participate in a sport that uses a ball.
To keep your eyes bacteria-free, throw away old eye makeup and replace your mascara every 3 months. If you wear contacts, clean your hands before putting them in and taking them out. It’s also best not to sleep in them, even if they’re labeled “long wear,” because you raise your risk of an eye infection ten times.
We blink less often when we’re staring at a screen, whether it’s the TV, a phone, or a computer. That leads to dry eyes, blurry vision, or headaches. Try out the 20-20-20 rule to relax and moisturize your eyes: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Over-the-counter eye drops can soothe dry eyes and stop itching and grittiness by flushing out particles. Store preservative-free single-use vials in your refrigerator for a cool bath of soothing relief.
If you notice dark spots drifting across your visual field, they’re probably just floaters, clumps of the vitreous fluid, and aren’t dangerous. However, if you notice a sudden flurry of floaters accompanied by flashes of light or a “curtain” across your vision, it’s most likely a retinal tear or detachment, and that’s a medical emergency. It’s important to know when you should come in for an urgent appointment.
If you’re making eye-related resolutions, one of the best is to schedule an annual comprehensive eye exam. This is the time the doctor checks not only your prescription, but also looks for early signs of disease that may need treatment. Annual exams are a great screening tool, and you shouldn’t miss them.
Ready to take charge of your eye health? Give Retina Specialists a call at any of our locations (Dallas, DeSoto, Plano, Mesquite, and Waxahachie) to schedule an appointment.
