Prioritizing Your Eye Health for World Sight Day | World Sight Day

How often do you think about your vision or your eye health? If you are like most of us, you probably do not think about your eye health often until you have an issue. Many of us take our vision for granted even though maintaining healthy eyes and good vision is essential to your overall quality of life.
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Vision loss threatens employment, recreational activities, and overall independence. Various factors play a part in our vision and eye health, such as genetics, family history, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors. Some of these factors, such as our family's eye health history, are uncontrollable. However, lifestyle factors are largely controllable.

​World Sight Day is October 10th, 2024. It was designated to bring attention to the importance of eye health in young people across the globe. It is also a great opportunity to think about your own eye health and take the necessary steps to safeguard your vision and protect your eyes. The article below covers several ways to prioritize eye health and increase the chances of maintaining good vision. 

Watch your waistline

Maintaining a healthy weight is helpful for healthy vision for multiple reasons. For instance, being overweight increases your risk of diabetes, which in turn increases your chances of developing diabetic retinopathy, a common cause of vision loss in adults. 

Protect against ultraviolet radiation

Too much exposure to UV light from the sun may increase your chances of several eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma. If left untreated, both of these eye diseases may lead to vision loss. You can decrease your exposure to UV light by wearing sunglasses and a wide-brim hat. 
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Get regular eye exams

Several eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, may not cause symptoms in their early stages. A comprehensive eye exam is useful to diagnose these conditions early. Early treatment may slow the progression of these diseases and decrease the risk of vision loss.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, most adults should have a baseline screening for eye diseases by age 40. You may need a comprehensive eye exam even sooner depending on your medical history.
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Wear the right eye protection 

Protective eyewear can prevent many eye injuries. It is important to wear protective eyewear when working around chemicals, flying debris, or bloodborne pathogens. Protective eyewear should also be worn when participating in sports like racquetball.

Kick the habit

Smoking has adverse effects on your overall well-being, including your eye health. Smoking may damage the blood vessels in your eyes and increase your risk of certain eye diseases.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who smoke are at a higher risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. 

If you do smoke, there are several effective ways to quit, such as medication, nicotine replacement, and behavior modification therapy.
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Do not ignore warning signs 

It is vital not to ignore warning signs that something may be wrong with your eyes or vision. Warning signs that require a visit to an eye specialist include the following:

• Eye floaters, flashes of light, or halos around lights
• Eye pain
• Double vision
• New decreases in vision or vision changes

Remember, prioritizing your eye health benefits your overall well-being, independence, and quality of life. If  you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.