Eye Health

Annual Eye Exams

An annual eye exam is crucial to protect your eyesight. Annual exams allow your optometrist to detect changes in your eye so alterations can be made to your eyeglass or contact lens prescription. Many eye diseases, if detected early, can be treated successfully. The best protection for your overall eye health is to have annual eye exams by a qualified optometrist. Please click here for a list of qualified optometrists.

Nutrition and Eye Health

Nutrition and eye health are strongly related. Vitamins A, E, and C all appear to offer benefits for overall eye health. For example, vitamin A may reduce the risk of cataracts and night blindness. A deficiency in vitamin A has been associated with blindness and corneal ulcers. Vitamin E plays a role in reducing the risk for macular degeneration and cataracts and vitamin C reduces pressure in glaucoma, slows age-related degeneration and provides resistance to cataracts. Vitamins are a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight the effects of oxidation that contributes to the destruction of healthy tissues. In addition, Omega-2 fatty acids have also been related to increasing overall eye health and are rich in antioxidants.

Foods are the most beneficial sources of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is found in oranges, strawberries, and broccoli; carrots, sweet potatoes, and liver are excellent sources of Vitamin A; almonds and hazelnuts are good sources of Vitamin E.

Eye Exercise

Here is an example of an eye exercise that is geared to improve muscle tone and to relieve strain. These eye movements are meant to be made slowly and with deliberation. You may be sitting or lying down. Remove your glasses. Each movement requires that you feel the eye pull as you change direction. Move the eyes and then hold the position for a few seconds.

Start by looking up slowly. Hold for three seconds, close your eyes and relax for the count of two. Look down slowly and hold. Close your eyes for two seconds. Open your eyes, turn your eyes right, and hold. Close your eyes and count to two. Open your eyes and turn them left and hold. Now look to the right and up.

Hold and close your eyes. Count to two. Open your eyes and look to the left and up. Hold and then close your eyes. Now look to the right and down. Hold for two seconds and close your eyes. Look to the left and down. Hold then close your eyes. This routine should be repeated for a total of three times.

Cleaning and Care of Eyes

Harsh rubbing and scratching of eyes should always be avoided. If there is an irritant in your eye, flush the eye with clean, warm water. If you have excessive irritation or redness or blurred vision, please contact your eye doctor for an appointment.

We also recommend protecting your vision from UV light by wearing sunglasses on bright days and avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun.