Eye health is just as important as maintaining the health of any part of our body and we have been taught that regular, ongoing visits to our eye doctor are a part of this maintenance. While this is very true, there are also ways in which we can contribute to our eye health in between visits – some of which you may not have considered to be as important as they are to the eyes.

Tips to keep your eyes healthy:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Sure, staying at a healthy weight is important for your heart and can lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. But did you know that a healthy weight also works to protect your eyes? Being overweight increases your risk of developing diabetes which in turn increases your risk of developing glaucoma and other diabetes-related eye diseases which can decrease vision.
• Quit smoking. If you smoke, you have another reason to quit immediately. Smokers are at higher risk for developing optic nerve damage, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration.
• Wear your sunglasses. UV rays are just as harsh on the eyes as they are on the skin. Protect your eyes with sunglasses that block UV-A and UV-B radiation.
• Take a rest. Working on the computer or doing any up close detailed work of any kind puts strain on the eyes. Make sure you take a break here and there and allow your eyes to rest. This will avoid eyestrain and keep your eyes healthy.
• Wash your hands. Keeping your hands clean is just as important for eye health. As we tend to touch our eyes throughout the day, we can easily transmit germs and bacteria that can result in infection. Wash your hands often, especially before and after putting in or taking out contact lenses. And be sure to disinfect your contact lenses as your eye doctor recommends.

Doing your part to keep your eyes healthy is a great way to work in tandem with regular eye doctor appointments to maintain clear and healthy vision for many years to come.