We often take the things in our lives for granted, until something goes wrong with one of them. Needless to say, our eyes are especially important to us, so it’s essential to pause now and then to consider what we’re doing, or not doing, to keep them healthy.
Here are three ways to protect your eyes.
Shield Them
Too much sun exposure can damage your eyes any time of the year, even in the winter. Unfortunately, even cloud cover doesn’t prevent UV rays from reaching you. It’s important to wear good-quality sunglasses whenever you spend a significant amount of time outside. Good sunglasses don’t have to cost a lot, but to be effective they must be able to block 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays.
Read labels to ensure you’re buying a pair that has all the protection you need and make sure they fit properly. Wraparound sunglass styles ensure that UV rays can’t enter from the sides.
Most eye injuries are entirely preventable. If you work doing something that may result in getting particles, fumes or debris in your eyes, always wear safety glasses or goggles. When doing home repairs, yard work, woodworking or other activities around the home, you should also where eye protection.
Many of the 200,000 sports-related eye injuries reported every year could have been prevented by wearing proper safety glasses. When playing intensive games like baseball, ball hockey, basketball and squash, protect your eyes with the proper eyewear.
Resist Rubbing Them
If you rub your eyes too often, you may cause damage in a number of ways. Hands can carry germs, so rubbing your eyes can cause the direct transfer of germs, which in turn can lead to infections like conjunctivitis. Rubbing can also exacerbate a pre-existing condition such as myopia and glaucoma.
Aggressive rubbing can damage your cornea, too. Rubbing your eyes because they itch due to allergies can make the itching worse. If you often have itchy eyes or they itch so much that you can’t resist rubbing, see an eye doctor. Allergies and other conditions that cause eyes to itch are treatable.
Care for Them
Unless your eye doctor advises differently, you should have your eyes examined at least every two years. An eye doctor will test for disease and measure your visual perception. If you experience problems such as vision loss, pain or irritation, make an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible. Many eye conditions can be treated successfully if they are detected early.
Your eye doctor may give you a prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, if you prefer, or recommend corrective eye surgery.
Eye drops are an important part of treating and protecting your vision, whether you use artificial tears to relieve dry eyes or were given a prescription for medicated eye drops. If you use eye drops, be sure to follow instructions for proper use. Whether you use artificial tears to relieve dry eyes or medicated drops prescribed by an eye doctor, eye drops are an important part of treating and protecting your vision.
