It is very important to look after you eyes– 80% of what we perceive comes through our sense of sight. Some diseases may cause you to lose your sight and therefore it’s very important to keep on top of your eyes’ health.
What does 20/20 vision mean?
If you can see an object that is 20 feet away clearly you have 20/20 vision. The term refers to average, normal vision. If your vision doesn’t measure 20/20, you may need to wear contact lenses or glasses to see clearly.
How can I look after my eyes?
There are many things you can do to look after your eyes. Keeping your general health up is the most basic way of looking after your eyes. A healthy body helps you to maintain healthy eyes.
Here is a list of things you can do to stay healthy. As you will see it is important for all your systems to work well for your eyes to do so.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A diet that includes fruits and vegetables, especially deep yellow and green leafy vegetables. Add fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.
- Wear sunglasses. Your eyes may be damaged by exposure to the sun and raise your risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Wear sunglasses with 99 to 100% blocking of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts you at greater risk of developing diabetes. Having diabetes puts you at higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
- Get regular exercise. Certain diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol may be prevented by exercise. These diseases can lead to some eye or vision problems.
- Know your other risk factors. You should know your risk factors, especially as you age as you develop a higher risk of getting certain diseases.
- Wear protective eye wear. It almost goes without saying that certain sports and jobs require you to wear protective eyewear. This applies to DIY too!
- Avoid smoking. Smoking increases the risk of developing age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts and can damage the optic nerve.
- Give your eyes a rest. Believe it or not you can forget to blink! If you spend a lot of time staring at a screen your eyes can get tired. To reduce eyestrain, try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.
- Know your family medical history. Some eye diseases such as (macular degeneration) are inherited, fiding out whether anyone in your family has it helps to determine if you are at risk and will help with diagnoses.
- If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Follow the instruction on how to clean your lense and when you should get them replaced. Always remember to wash your hands well before you put in or take out your contact lenses.
Common Eye Disorders and Diseases
Myopia — Short-sightedness
Hyperopia — Long-sightedness.
Astigmatism — A defect in the eye or in a lens caused by a deviation from spherical curvature, which results in distorted images, as light rays are prevented from meeting at a common focus.
Presbyopia — Long-sightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration — A degenerative condition affecting the central part of the retina (the macula) and resulting in distortion or loss of central vision. It occurs especially in older adults, in which case it is called age-related macular degeneration.
Cataracts — A medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy — Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the back of the eye (retina). It can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated. However, it usually takes several years for diabetic retinopathy to reach a stage where it could threaten your sight.
Glaucoma — A condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing gradual loss of sight.
