Your eye health is based on your lifestyle choices. If you want to know how to care for your eye health, then here are some easy tips to try!
by Troop Atomic Mommy
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As a mum, you probably juggle a ton of responsibilities like work, children and home life. As such, your personal needs and care tend to go unnoticed or not looked after. This includes your eye health.
Since you need your eyes to do a great deal of things for your lifestyle, they should not be neglected, and instead, should be added to your usual self-care routine. There are many factors that can affect your eyesight as a mum such as stress, lack of sleep, excessive screen time and even genetics. And while there’s no magic wand to fix everything, there are some practical tips that you can use to look after your eye health. Read on to learn what these tips are.
#1 Get regular eye exams
Regardless of how busy you get with family life and work life, you should always make and keep year-round appointments to your optometrist. This will allow them to identify any potential eye health issues. Even if your eyes are deemed healthy after each visit, you should continue with regular eye exams to ensure that there are no signs of stress or damage caused by excessive screen time. This can help to prevent easily treatable conditions such as dry eye, red eye and eye strain. It can also help to reduce the risk of developing more serious conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. You should also make sure that your children visit the optometrist regularly to check for signs of eye damage.
#2 Limit screen time
Perhaps you noticed your child’s eyes are red and watery or even have a film covering them. Or maybe you’re noticing that you’re having a hard time reading highway signs and seeing letters from your normal ability. These symptoms, though not immediate emergencies, are very common and is often called “screen eye”. This condition is usually the result of excessive screen time.
Many studies suggest that excessive screen time will result in a decrease in your eye health. It can also lead to a decrease in your ability to focus on a single object. Most of us aren’t aware of the extent to which screen time affects our eyes, but it is definitely there. The best way to avoid these symptoms is by decreasing the amount of time that you and your loved ones look at screens. By doing so, you will be ensuring positive eye health.
#3 Eat foods that enhance eye health
Eating healthy can not only provide you with better overall health, but it can also give you stronger eyesight, reduced risk of eye-related diseases and a lower risk of macular degeneration. But did you know there are specific foods that directly relates to good eye health?
Some foods you should eat regularly to maintain good eye health include carrots, kale, red peppers, salmon, and oysters. You should also ensure that you avoid certain foods that will negatively affect your eye health. These include high-fat and low-nutrient foods, sugary drinks, and foods rich in caffeine.
#4 Wear sunglasses in the daylight
Depending on where you live and the time of year, you will most likely spend a lot of time outdoors with your children. It is important to note that the sun’s UV rays can reach you even when it is cloudy outside.
Wearing sunglasses that are rated at an appropriate level of protection will help to reduce the risk of sun damage to your eyes. They also offer protection against dust, wind and sand that can cause irritation and discomfort to your eyes. It is also important to protect your eyes indoors. The sun and dust can make your eyes feel dry and itchy, and this can be very uncomfortable, so if you have been experiencing this, you may need to consider getting eye drops. You can look for the best OTC for dry eyes online, which makes it easy to order and get sent straight to your door.
#5 Quit smoking
Eye health has a lot to do with your choices. Smoking, whether it be cigarettes, cigars, or vape pens, can have a negative affect on your eye health. This activity increases your risk for macular degeneration, cataracts, and dry eyes. On top of these possible medical issues, smoking can also cause inflammation and because of this, it can make it difficult for doctors to treat or manage the inflammation. So be kind to your eyes, and reduce your daily smoking habits.
The Takeaway
Make sure that there are no sources of UV light in your home, such as windows and light bulbs. Try to avoid looking at screens of any kind for extended periods of time, particularly if they are not rated at an appropriate level of protection.
