10 Tips for Eye Health and Keeping Eyesight Healthy

2. Get a regular eye test

Getting a regular eye test is one of the most important tips for maintaining the health of eyes and eyesight. An eye test is defined as a procedure in which an optometrist, or other eye care professional, will check the health of your eye and assess your eyesight. An eye test involves several exams such as a tonometry test which measures intraocular eye pressure and a refraction test in which an optometrist checks the quality of your vision.

An eye test is an important part of maintaining eye health as it allows your optometrist to diagnose any vision issues such as hyperopia and astigmatism, or eye diseases such as glaucoma or cataracts. Getting a regular eye test means that these conditions can be caught early on, so they do not become a bigger problem later.

If a person does not keep up with their regular eye exams, they risk not detecting a potential eye disease or vision issue. Some eye conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), do not show symptoms until the later stages of the disease. That’s why, even if you feel like you have clear vision, it is important to get regular eye tests.

Oscar Wylee recommends that those under 65 get a regular eye test every 2 years. People over 65 should get them annually or as recommended by their optometrist. Those with health conditions such as diabetes or with existing eye issues such as cataracts, need eye tests more regularly. Your optometrist will discuss with you how frequent your eye tests should be.

3. Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is a major way to potentially improve eye health and eyesight. Smoking refers to the practice of consuming tobacco through use of cigarettes. Smoking is scientifically proven to be bad for your overall health, and this includes your eye health. Smoking has been shown to cause damage to various parts of the eye including the retina and the macula. Smoking has been linked to an increased risk of several eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and general eye functionality.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), those who smoke are between two to three times more likely to develop cataracts than a non-smoker. People who smoke are also up to four times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than non-smokers.

Quitting smoking is a major step towards improving your eye health, and eyesight. By not smoking, you reduce your risk of developing, or worsening, any eye diseases and vision issues.

6. Use Safety Eyewear

Using safety eyewear, such as safety glasses, is an important tip for keeping your eyes and eyesight healthy. Safety eyewear is defined as any type of eyewear that keeps the eyes safe and protected from potential harm or damage. Safety eyewear encompasses a range of eye protection, including safety glasses, safety goggles, face shields and face masks. Safety eyewear is made in a range of materials and can have lenses with different coloured tints, depending on what the eye needs protecting from. Polarised lenses for example reduce sun, snow and water glare. Blue lenses in safety eyewear help to protect the eyes from prolonged exposure to yellow light.

Safety eyewear is very important when working a job or undertaking an activity in which potential hazardous material could potentially come into contact with the eye, or when the eye is at risk of being injured or damaged. According to the Better Health Channel, things that cause damage to the eye include chemicals, dust, debris, compressed air, oils, bright lights or UV lights. If you do not wear safety eyewear whilst engaging in these situations, you could risk causing damage to the eye, putting your vision at risk. Potential eye injuries include scratches, burns and foreign bodies in the eye.

By wearing safety eyewear when engaging in high risk activities, you help protect your eyes and maintain good eye health.

7. Keep the Germs Away

Keeping the germs away is a good tip when considering how to maintain the health of your eyes and eyesight. Keeping the germs away refers to maintaining good eye hygiene. Good eye hygiene is important as it helps to prevent the eyes from getting infections such as a sty, or inflammation, such as conjunctivitis. There are several ways to keep the germs away from your eyes including not touching the eyes with dirty hands, not using old makeup, and regularly cleaning glasses. The best ways to keep good eye hygiene are listed below.

• Do not touch your eyes with your hands: Keeping the hands away from the eyes is a good way to ensure good eye health. If there is something in the eye that can not be removed without touching your eyeball, it is best to consult an optometrist or health care professional.
• Clean your eyes with a soft material like cotton wool: If the eyes need cleaning for any reason, such as eye discharge, Healthdirect recommends doing so with a material like a cotton wool pad, soaked in clean water. You should not use the same pad for both eyes as this could bring germs from one eye into the other.
• Don’t use old makeup and clean makeup brushes: Old makeup harbours germs and bacteria that pose a potential infection risk to the eye. It is important to check the best by date on the packages of makeup and not use them past this. Another good tip is to wash makeup brushes regularly as these collect bacteria that could lead to an eye infection.
• Regularly clean your glasses: Regularly cleaning your frames and your lenses is a good way to maintain good eye hygiene as these surfaces pick up dirt and other germs that can enter the eye. Using a lens spray or clean glasses cloth, ensures the glasses are free of dirt.

Keeping eye hygiene is a good way to maintain good eye and eyesight health.

Why is it Important to Keep Your Eyesight Healthy?

It is important to keep your eyesight healthy so that your eyes and vision can function as effectively as possible. Your eyes are made up of several structures that all work together to help you see. When light enters the eye, it hits the retina, a structure at the back of your eye. Cells called photoreceptors then turn the light into electrical signals that get sent to the brain via the optic nerve. It is important to keep your eyes healthy so that these processes can work well, ensuring good vision.

It is also important to keep your eyesight healthy as your eyes are one of your most important organs. The eyes allow you to see the world around you, helping you to interact with other people and complete daily tasks. If your eyesight is not kept healthy, this may interfere with daily life. Those who have eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) for example, may find certain daily tasks difficult, which can affect their quality of life.

What are the Benefits of Healthy Eyesight?

The benefits of having healthy eyesight include a higher quality of life and better overall health. Though there are many happy and healthy people who live good and fulfilled lives with limited or no vision, for many people, having healthy eyesight is important and something they would struggle without. Many people rely on good vision for their lifestyle and jobs. The benefits of having healthy eyes and good sight are listed below.

• Higher quality of life: Having poor vision can affect a person’s quality of life. Not being able to see may make conducting daily activities, such as driving, more difficult. Low vision may also lead to a decrease in independence, mobility, and social interaction. According to a 2001 study by Joan Stelmack, people with low vision are at higher risk for developing anxiety and depression. Having healthy eyes can reduce the risk of these eye diseases and help you maintain a higher quality of life for longer.
• Better health: Having healthy eyes and eyesight plays a role in your overall health. If people have conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular issues, this can affect the structures of the eye. By keeping a healthy lifestyle and lowering the risk of these conditions, you will have better overall health and better eye health.

What is the Perfect Vision for a Healthy Eyesight?

There is no such thing as perfect vision for healthy eyesight. Perfect vision means something different to each individual, depending on their lifestyle and individual needs. However, there are several criteria that one may use to measure whether they have good vision, listed below.

• Visual Acuity: Visual acuity refers to the sharpness and clarity of your vision. Visual acuity is measured by an optometrist using an eye chart, such as a Snellen Chart. Visual acuity is measured as a fraction, with 20/20 or 6/6 vision widely regarded as the baseline or average vision.
• Depth perception: If a person has good depth perception, they may consider themselves to have good vision. Depth perception is your eye’s ability to judge how far one object is away in relation to another object. It also refers to how the eye judges the distance of an object from the viewer.
• Peripheral vision: If a person has good peripheral vision, they may consider themselves to have good eyesight. Peripheral vision refers to the part of your eyesight outside the central visual field, in simple terms the sides of your vision,
• Colour perception: Colour perception refers to the eyes ability to perceive different wavelengths of light or colour. If you have good colour perception, you may consider this an indication of good eyesight.

How to check your Eyesight at home?

It is not recommended that you check your eyesight at home as the results of home eye tests often provide inaccurate and misleading results. If you need an eye test, book an appointment with an Oscar Wylee optometrist and they will be able to provide you with accurate results and treatment options if needed.

When Should I See an Eye Doctor?

When you should see an eye doctor depends upon which eye doctor you are seeing. There are three main types of eye care professionals; optometrists, optical dispensers and ophthalmologists.

Your optometrist is your first point of contact for eye care and is the eye care professional conducting your annual eye test. If you are under 65, it is recommended that you see an optometrist every two years for an eye test and exam. If you are above 65, then annual eye tests are recommended.

An optical dispenser dispenses glasses and fits your eyewear. You will usually see them after a consultation with your optometrist, as they use the prescription from the optometrist to find the lenses and frames that are right for you.

If you need to see an ophthalmologist, this is usually at the discretion of your optometrist or doctor, as ophthalmologists are eye care specialists, treating more serious vision problems beyond the expertise of an optometrist, such as advanced glaucoma.