A new year. A new you. And another opportunity to resolve to live healthier. Research shows 43% of people will have given up on their resolutions for the new year by the end of January.
If your goals for 2024 need a little wellness-focused boost, try these proactive eye-healthy tips to help keep your focus on your overall well-being and vision health—for life.
1. Get an Eye Exam
An annual visit with your eye doctor is the most effective way to maintain the health of your eyes. A comprehensive eye exam will gauge the overall health of your eyes and diagnose any problems that may be affecting your ability to see. In addition to refractive errors (like astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness), your eye doctor can also detect conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, or macular degeneration—and even see signs of more chronic health conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
2. Wear Sunglasses
Protecting your eyes from harmful sunlight is the easiest way to keep your eyes healthy. Your eyes, very much like your skin, need protection from harmful UV rays year-round, not just in the summer. It’s important to defend your eyes just like your skin, so every time you lather on sunscreen, think about shielding your eyes from the sun too. Prolonged exposure to UV light can contribute to cataracts and macular degeneration. Luckily, sunglasses are a simple way to get the defense your eyes need—just be sure to always wear sunglasses with 100% UVA and UVB protection.
3. Drink Water
It’s important to stay hydrated for overall good health, and it’s also a simple way to keep your eyes in top condition. Drinking plenty of water each day helps to keep our organs working properly and it helps to maintain our tear quality. Our eyes are surrounded by fluid, which protects them by washing away debris and dust when we blink. Overall, staying hydrated is one aspect of nutrition that helps maintain a healthy balance of fluid around the eye.
4. Get Sleep
The importance of sleep goes way beyond just boosting our mood. Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night is an easy way to keep our eyes healthy. When we’re sleep-deprived, our eyes haven’t had adequate time to replenish themselves, so they become strained. This lack of sleep can cause eye spasms and dry eyes. By getting enough sleep each night, you could even avoid pesky under-eye bags and twitching lids.
5. Eat Well
Much like drinking water and getting sleep, eating a healthy diet does more for your vision than you may realize. These days it’s easy to obtain the nutrients your eyes need through a healthy diet. For example, dark leafy greens, avocados, carrots, and fish, are all eye-friendly foods. Focusing on a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables will help you ward off eye disease and keep your vision clear.
6. Be Active
You can’t live a healthy lifestyle without being active. Did you know exercise is also a factor in maintaining healthy vision? Sticking to a regular fitness schedule can help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, and many other conditions that can affect your eyes. Staying active and sticking to an exercise routine cuts down on the time you spend with digital devices, which has become a growing concern for eye health.
Choosing to focus on your eye health could lead to improvement in your overall health and wellness. And that's a goal you can start working toward anytime!
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