How to take care of your eyes during this summer

Though it may be frequently overlooked by some, eye care really is a topic that requires a good deal of attention and emphasis. The health of the eyes can have significant implications in just about every aspect of life and is therefore worthy of real effort. The tips below are intended to help you keep your eyes in great shape and get the eye care you need.

We were able to compile these amazing tips with the help of Visionary Eye Care, who let us in on the secrets.

1. If your eyes are irritated by pollen or feel dry, use an eyewash. The eyewash can rinse your eyes of the impurities and make them feel more refreshed. Follow instructions on the package carefully. After the eyewash, your eyes should feel much better. Use the product a couple of times a day or as directed.
2. Wear sunglasses for eye protection. Keep ones that always have really good UV safety features with you. Sun is harmful to your eyes and the soft, thin skin around your eyes. Don’t take chances that you don’t need to take.
3. You should try eating a proper diet to better care for your eyes. A good diet for maintaining eye health should include items that contain zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, vitamin C, and vitamin E. To get these nutrients, try eating items like dark leafy greens, oily fish, eggs, nuts, and citrus fruits.
4. If you’re going out into strong sunshine for any length of time, make sure you wear a hat with a wide brim. Although sunglasses do protect your eyes to a certain extent, a hat will keep the sun out of them completely. Your eyelids can be particularly vulnerable to melanoma, something that you can avoid simply by sporting a hat.
5. If you smoke, stop to protect your eyes. Eyes suffer, just as the rest of your body. Long-term smokers tend to develop eye problems. If you quit, then your risk is reduced for developing cataracts or damage to the optic nerves.
6. If you blink often, you might or might not have eye issues. This may be something that you do when nervous or stressed. If your excessive blinking is caused by stress, find ways to relax. If a tic can be ruled out, talk to an ophthalmologist.
7. Saline solution should always be kept available at home. Protecting your eyes on the job is easy because you can just wear goggles. However, if you’re just lounging around at home, you’re not likely to be wearing them. If something gets in your eye while cleaning, use the saline solution to rinse it out.
8. Be sure to not only get your vision checked every year but have a comprehensive exam. This often includes other tests which peer inside the eye to check for conditions such as glaucoma or even diabetes. The sooner you catch these issues, the easier it will be to treat them.
9. When doing any type of work, avoid injuring your eyes by always wearing protective glasses. This is especially important if you job entails handling airborne or hazardous materials. You should also wear protective eye wear when playing sports since certain sports such as racquetball, lacrosse or hockey can cause eye injuries.
10. Keep water or a cool, damp cloth handy while working on your computer. As you focus on the computer, strain sets in easily. If you dab your eyes with water or a cool cloth, you can relieve the strain and help cool the eyes. This will help when spending long periods at work on the computer.
11. Consume a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables during the day to improve the health of your eyes. This can help to eliminate dry eyes and provide you with the vitamins that you need to stay healthy. Some great fruits are oranges, apples, pears, kiwis and berries for you to eat as the day wears on.
12. Take breaks when you need them. Many people think that looking at a computer screen is the only time you need to concern yourself with stressing your eyes. Even if you are reading or watching television, it’s wise to take frequent breaks so that you don’t start to have eyestrain.

It is sometimes easy to take eye care for granted, particularly if you have never experienced problems with your vision. However, because eye health can have an impact on overall health, it is important to take eye care seriously. By keeping the above advice handy, you can be prepared for anything that comes your way.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.