Eye Care Tips For 2024

January is National Eye Care Month! The start of a new year is always a great time to revisit our habits and goals, and strive for improvement. You only get one set of eyes, so it’s important to take measures to keep them healthy. A local Marysville, WA optometrist offers some basic eye care tips in this article. 

Eye Care Tip #1: Eat Nutritious Food

Good health starts with a good diet. That is true for your entire body, but it’s very important for your eyes. While diet trends may come and go, the basics usually stay pretty much the same. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, and limit processed meats, as well as foods that are high in salt, sugar, or fat. (Tip: opt for things that have vibrant colors.)

Some good examples include:

• Citrus fruits and juices, such as oranges, clementines, and nectarines
• Dark Leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, and spinach
• Fish and seafood. Opt for lots of cold-water fish that contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut and trout. Oysters and shrimp are also healthy
• Red, green, or yellow peppers 
• Seeds and nuts 
• Orange veggies, such as carrots, squash, and pumpkin
• Lean meat, such as pork
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Beans and legumes, such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans and lima beans
• Dark berries, such as blueberries and strawberries
• Healthy fats, such as avocado and olive oil

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite foods. Just aim to eat healthy most of the time. 

Eye Care Tip #2: Staying Fit Is Good For The Eyes

Getting fit is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. This is not only good for your waistline: it’s good for your eyes! Even moderate exercise can lower your chances of developing cataracts and other problems. Three workouts a week can help reduce your risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration.

That’s not all, either. Regularly exercising reduces your risk of obesity, and can help you drop pounds if you are overweight. That will also help reduce your chances of getting type 2 diabetes, which is associated with many eye problems.

Your exercise needs will change over time, and will depend on your specific health and needs. Current guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, or 75 minutes a day of vigorous exercise. You can also mix and match.

Eye Care Tip #3: Have Your Eyes Examined Regularly

We can’t overstate the importance of having your eyes examined regularly. Eye issues can be particularly tricky in that there are many conditions which will not cause symptoms until the issue has progressed. Sadly, that means that some people aren’t diagnosed until their condition is so far along that it is difficult, or even impossible to treat.

How Often should you get your eyes checked? That’s going to vary a bit from person to person. As a general rule of thumb, we would advise going at least every other year. However, if you have vision issues, you may need to come in more often.

Eye exams help evaluate your visual acuity, which is how well you can see at different distances. They also help screen for refractive issues. Refractive issues are problems with the way your eyes focus light. These include nearsightedness and farsightedness. 

The brain tends to adapt very well to decreases in vision, so you may not realize that you need glasses … until you put them on and realize that suddenly everything is much, much clearer.

However, eye exams aren’t just important for determining if you need vision wear and/or what your prescription should be. They can also detect eye problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. That’s not all! The eye exam will provide your doctor with information about the blood vessels, nerves, and tissues in your eyes. That may often allow them to spot other health conditions, sometimes before symptoms start.

Some of the health issues eye exams can detect include:

• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Brain Tumors
• Lupus
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Thyroid Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease

If you’re overdue for an eye exam, reach out to schedule one with your Marysville, WA eye clinic today.

Eye Care Tip #4: Quit Smoking

Smoking is bad for just about every organ and system in your body. While your lungs of course take the brunt of the impact, smoking also affects your heart, skin, and, of course, your eyes. 

Smoking presents a huge risk factor for many eye problems. These include:

• Cataracts
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Uveitis
• Glaucoma
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Dry Eye Syndrome

The numbers are quite sobering. For instance a heavy smoker—which is someone who smokes over 15 cigarettes a day—is three times more likely to develop cataracts than a non-smoker. Even secondhand smoke is bad! If you live with smokers, reduce your exposure to secondhand smoke.

Given that this is the start of the new year, if you haven’t kicked the habit yet, consider making that your goal for 2024. Your entire body will thank you … as will your wallet and clothes.

Eye Care Tip #5: Reduce Screen Time

Many of us spend way too much time staring at screens these days. If you often find yourself glued to a phone, TV, or computer, you’re not alone. If nothing else, implement the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds, and focus on something 20 feet away. This small habit can help protect against eye strain.

Eye Care Tip #6: Wear Sunglasses

You don’t have to wear your sunglasses at night, as Corey Hart sang about in the 80’s. You also don’t need them indoors. However, you should wear them any and every time you are outside during the day.

Ultraviolet light from the sun is very bad for your eyes, and once that damage is done, there’s no going back.

You’ll want to pick a pair that blocks at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Polarized lenses help reduce road glare, but don’t offer any additional protection from UVA or UVB. You may also want to look into prescription lenses and/or transitional ones.

As far as style, you can go with anything you like. Just pick function over form.

Eye Care Tip #7: Put Safety First

While everything we’ve listed above can definitely help keep your eyes healthy, they won’t protect you from injuries or infections. Always take precautions to protect your peepers. If you are working with tools or chemicals, wear safety goggles every time. 

This is also an important one for those who wear contacts. Leaving contacts in too long and/or not cleaning them properly can lead to a whole slew of eye issues … up to and including blindness. Ask your Marysville, WA eye doctor for more information. 

Eye Care Tip #8: Know The Warning Signs Of Eye Problems

Take any changes in your vision seriously. Don’t brush off unusual symptoms or trouble with your vision. The sooner eye problems are diagnosed and treated, the better! 

Some things to watch for include: 

• Blurry vision
• Trouble seeing near or far
• Blind Spots
• Hazy spots
• Cloudiness
• Eye pain
• Burning sensations
• Double vision
• Halos
• Glare
• Poor night vision
• Loss of peripheral vision 
• Floaters/White spots
• Distorted vision
• Light sensitivity. 

Some vision problems develop slowly, while some come on rapidly. Whether you’re noticing something that seems small, like blurring, or are having sudden, more serious symptoms, take action right away if you notice any of these. 

Are you due for an eye exam? Do you need a new prescription? Contact us here at your Marysville, WA eye clinic, anytime!