10 Tips for the daily care of our eyes
The WHO has established itself as an eye health objective, for the interval between 2014-2019, “to reduce avoidable visual impairment as a global public health problem and guarantee access to rehabilitation services for people with visual impairment”.
They estimate that there are 285 million people with visual impairment, of which 39 million are blind and 246 million have impaired vision. However, they also note that 80% of all occurrences of blindness are preventable or treatable.
These are more than enough reasons to apply a series of daily care to our body and with regard to the eyes, we can highlight some tips that will help us preserve eye health:
1. Protection against ultraviolet radiation:
Since ultraviolet radiation is not limited to the hot months but is present throughout the year, we must protect our eyes, both in summer and winter, also including days that only appear cloudy.
Solar radiation is especially harmful to our eyes and can cause damage to the eyelids, cornea and conjunctiva, as well as retinal burns or even the early appearance of cataracts or macular degeneration.
For this reason, it is very important when choosing sunglasses not only to take aesthetics into account, but the essential thing is that they are approved and that they have a 100% protective filter against UVA and UVB rays.
This recommendation is especially necessary for children under 12 years of age, who should never be exposed to direct sunlight since their lens, which filters light and radiation, has yet to fully develop.
We must make sure that their glasses are not only approved and have the protective filters mentioned above, but also that they have adapted to the shape of the child’s face and be resistant to blows.
2. Protection in certain jobs
There are professions in which we must use safety glasses to deal with certain occupational hazards. Thus, we will prevent dust, shavings, splinters, etc. from entering the eye.
3. Protection when practising sports
It is necessary to resort to glasses that protect us when practising sports so that we can minimize eye risks, either due to physical contact or exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Likewise, the use of glasses in swimming pools and in the sea is recommended, since the chlorine and salt in the water can cause itching, redness and irritation in the eyes.
4. Prevention of dry eyes
To maintain good eye health, it is necessary for our eyes to be hydrated, and yet there are factors that dry out the eyes such as strong heating, air conditioning, dust, tobacco smoke or the fact of staying for a long time with the eyes fixed on a screen.
To remedy this dryness, artificial tears are very useful, always prescribed by the specialist, as well as ventilating the rooms and the use of humidifiers where appropriate.
5. Protection against visual fatigue or fatigue:
To prevent visual fatigue we can follow these tips shared by God Service Eye Clinic:
- Good lighting, both in the rooms and in the texts that are read, taking into account that the light must enter from the opposite side to the one being written and that we must adjust the size of the letter, if possible, to make it more comfortable for us to read.
- Positioning the work table in front of a window is recommended.
- We should never watch television or work in front of the computer in the dark , since the pupil dilates and our eyes will overexert themselves, which causes fatigue and even graduation problems.
- The television must be seen at a minimum distance of 2 meters and the computer screen at about 50 cm and aligned in front of us. The body posture must also be correct, that is, the back straight, with the feet resting on the ground and the elbows bent so that they form an angle of 90 degrees.
- We must reduce as much as possible the number of hours in front of a screen.
- While keeping your eyes fixed on a screen, you must try to blink frequently and for every 20 minutes spent in front of the computer, rest 20 seconds without fixing your eyes on anything specific.
- In any case, we must use a filter or computer screen protector and adjust the brightness intensity to reduce it.
6. Protection of sight through food
A balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals, is essential to care for and improving vision.
In this sense, there are certain vitamins (A, B, C and E) as well as magnesium that are basic elements, because they help us prevent diseases such as cataracts and AMD (Age-Associated Macular Degeneration).
Thus, as recommended foods, we can mention, among others, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, milk, plums, bananas, apples and oranges, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, peas, eggs or corn.
We should also consume foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout, tuna, herring and sardines.
In short, these are essential nutrients for our eyes, since they act as antioxidants or what is the same, they delay the aging of cells and consequently, the loss of visual acuity and the appearance of ocular pathologies.
7. Prevention of eye diseases associated with Diabetes:
In diabetic patients, it is especially important to keep cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood under control, as well as blood pressure, since an excess of carbohydrates can cause damage to the retinal blood vessels, giving rise to diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can lead to blindness.
8. Tobacco as a risk factor for numerous diseases:
Regarding the eyes, tobacco increases the risk of cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration
9. Correct use of contact lenses to avoid infections and ocular complications:
For the correct handling of contact lenses, extreme hygiene must be followed and the same cleaning routine must be followed both before and after placement.
The case where the contact lenses are stored must be clean and free of bacteria, changing the liquid it contains daily.
On the other hand, it should be the professional who tells us how long we can wear the contact lenses during the day and unless he advises otherwise, we should never sleep with them on because the eyes do not receive enough oxygen and when we get up, we could feel irritation, dry eyes, difficulty removing the lens (which tends to stick to the cornea) and even require antibiotics due to infection.
In the same way, if we wear glasses, we must use optical products specially indicated for this use to clean the crystals and not proceed dry, since we would damage the lens.
10. Importance of the annual ophthalmological review:
As we get older, the risk of suffering eye disorders increases and there are even diseases such as AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) and glaucoma that often do not present symptoms until vision loss is irreversible.
For this reason, both periodic reviews with a specialist and the possibility of early detection with a view to the most appropriate treatment is essential, especially:
- From the age of 40
- In patients with diabetes, hypertension or very high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia)
- In those with a family history of ocular pathology
The specialist will complete an examination of the eyes and vision to detect possible visual alterations. In the event of a refractive error ( myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia ) already existing, he will review the graduation of contact lenses or glasses.
However, it is necessary to go to the ophthalmologist urgently in case of:
- Burns, cuts, blows and trauma to the eyes
- Abrasive liquids that come into contact with the eyes
- The appearance of a central spot in the visual field
- Sudden and sudden changes in vision (decreased vision, double or distorted vision) eye pain
- And of course, in cases of complete loss of vision
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