Three Tips For Protecting Your Eye Health

2 February 2015
 Categories: Health & Medical , Blog

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Even if you don't have vision problems, your optometrist is one of the most important parts of your healthcare team. He or she can not only monitor your eyes for any vision loss, but can also help you to protect your eyes and preserve their health. Here are a few things that you should know about caring for your eyes between exams so that you don't do more harm than good.

Carrots Need More Support

You've probably heard the saying that carrots are good for your eyes. While carrots can't physically improve your vision, they can help you to maintain your eye health and protect them against some diseases and conditions. This is because carrots are rich in beta carotene, which turns to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A serves as an antioxidant and creates a protective barrier over your cornea.

Carrots can't do the job alone, though. If you want to make sure that your eyes are receiving all of the nutrients they need to make full use of these vitamins, you'll want to also add leafy greens like kale and spinach to your diet. They are rich in lutein, which can help reduce your risk of certain conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts.

Avoid Low Light Strain

Low light can cause your eyes to strain, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to damage them. The strain on your eyes is more likely to cause headaches, which can be problematic as well. If you want to protect your eyes and your head, don't strain your eyes to read in low light. Instead, use a book light or a small lamp if you need to see.

Dealing with Eye Drops

With so many types of eye drops available in retail stores, it's tempting to just reach for a bottle to ease redness, itching or other discomfort. Before you do that, though, make sure that you talk to an optometrist. If there's an underlying condition, retail eye drops may actually cause a bigger problem. Make sure that you're using the right eye drop before you reach for that bottle.

If you do have to use eye drops, you may find yourself flinching at the initial sting or burn that you feel when you apply them. Talk to your optometrist about the particular drop you're using to see if it's cold-temperature stable. If it is, keeping it in the refrigerator will help ease the sting, because the cold will help numb your eye a bit when you use them.

Your vision is one of the most important senses, so it's vital that you protect it. With the information presented here and a reliable optometrist, like Victoria Assn of Optometrists, you can help protect your eyes and keep them comfortable.