Are you looking for a little deeper into your eye health? Do you think about your eye care like flossing your teeth or getting an oil change for your car?
Learning about mistakes in eye care can help make sure you don’t needlessly pay for an exam or end up losing your eyesight to an eye disease. If you think you’re the average bear in minding your eye health, see what you think about these common mistakes.
1. Overlooking Simple Hygiene Practices
We often forget to routinely wash our hands before touching our eyes. Our hands can carry bacteria and germs that we can inadvertently spread over our eyes if we have not washed them first.
It is highly recommended to wash our hands frequently when handling contact lenses or eye makeup. This will help us keep our eyes healthy and reduce the risks of infection or discomfort.
2. Not Wearing Appropriate Eye Protection
Not wearing the right safety glasses when working with potentially dangerous machinery or chemicals can leave you at risk of eye damage. Be familiar with the types of safety glasses that are appropriate for your work and always wear them when necessary.
Even when it isn’t mandatory, it’s best to err on the side of caution and wear them anyway. Make sure the eyewear is comfortable and fits well, and inspect it regularly for signs of wear and tear or damage.
3. Insufficient Diet for Eye Health
Your eyes rely on certain nutrients to stay healthy, and if they’re not getting the right combination, they can suffer from age-related vision problems or diseases. Include plenty of leafy green vegetables, grains, and fruits in your diet.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna, can help keep your vision sharp. Eating foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, such as carrots, oranges, and avocados, can also provide essential nutrients for your eyes.
4. Ignoring the Signs of Eye Disease
Eye diseases can lead to vision loss if left untreated. Recognize the signs of eye problems such as blurry vision, halos, floaters, or light sensitivity. If one experiences these or any other issues, they should contact an optometrist or ophthalmologist immediately so they can be screened and treated properly.
5. Skipping Regular Eye Exams
Skipping eye exams can prevent the early detection of eye diseases that can increase the risk of permanent vision loss. Ignoring this can also make the diagnosis and treatment of common eye diseases difficult if not impossible. Being proactive ensures eye health issues are caught early and treated before becoming untreatable.
6. Too Much Screen Time
The blue light emitted by screens can dry out and strain eyes, leading to headaches, blurred vision, eyestrain, and difficulty focusing.
Take frequent breaks from screens and look away from them to rest your eyes. Adjust the brightness of your screen so that it is not too bright or too dim; too bright can cause discomfort. Position the screen away from direct sunlight to avoid glares.
After a long day working on screens, you can apply a cold compress to help it rest. View this cold eye compress article to learn more about its benefits.
Avoid These Common Mistakes in Eye Care
Some common mistakes in eye care can be prevented if you take the proper steps. Make sure to practice good hygiene, wear protective glasses, and don’t skip visiting an eye doctor. With these simple steps, you can help prevent painful or chronic vision problems.
Invest in your eye health today! Schedule an eye exam with your doctor.
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