Vision Goals for the New Year

A new year often inspires people to set resolutions or goals for the year to come. It's common to commit to developing a workout program, losing weight, or prioritizing your overall health. But an essential part of health that may be overlooked is eye health. 

Your eyes support everything you do, from driving to working to enjoying recreational activities.  Still, many people may not even think about their vision until they develop a problem. The new year is a great time to prioritize your eye health and vision, even if everything seems fine.

​​Below are some practical eye health goals for the upcoming year that go beyond seeing 20/20. The goals focus on long-term eye health, vision protection, and eye comfort.

Protect your vision for the long term

One of the most essential vision goals you can develop has nothing to do with how your eyes are today. Instead, it's about protecting your eye health for years to come.  Several conditions that threaten your vision, such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, start without any symptoms.  Preventative eye care begins with early detection and the protection of your vision for the future. One of the most important ways you can protect your vision for the long term is to get regular comprehensive eye exams.  Comprehensive eye exams allow your eye doctor to identify subtle changes that may indicate an eye disease. Diagnosing eye diseases early enables treatment, which may slow disease progression and prevent vision loss. 

Goal: Consider setting a goal to schedule a comprehensive eye exam at the start of the year. 
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Prioritize lifestyle habits for eye health 

It's common to start the new year by vowing to prioritize healthy habits such as exercise, eating right, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol. These healthy lifestyle habits are not only good for your heart and lungs, but they also help promote eye health. Other healthy lifestyle habits to maintain healthy eyes include avoiding excess ultraviolet light exposure, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress. 

Goal: Consider setting a goal to tackle one healthy lifestyle habit at a time, such as getting 30 minutes of exercise on most days. 
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Improve eye comfort

We use our eyes almost nonstop. Keeping your eyes comfortable is often overlooked. However, burning, redness and irritation are becoming increasingly common as many of us spend hours inside with low humidity and dry air. Chronic eye discomfort is not inevitable. Conditions such as dry eye and eye allergies do not have to simply become a regular part of your day-to-day life. 

Goal: Consider setting a goal to improve eye comfort by getting professional treatment for chronic dry eyes. 
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Reduce eye strain 

Vision fatigue can lead to tension headaches, neck and shoulder pain, difficulty concentrating, and sore eyes. Many people may not even realize that these symptoms are related to their vision.

Vision fatigue can develop due to poor ergonomics, prolonged screen use, or issues with contact or eyeglass prescriptions. Making changes can significantly decrease visual fatigue.
 
Goal: Set up your workstation ergonomically to decrease eye strain. Set your computer at the correct height so that your eyes are looking slightly downward at the screen. Start practicing the 20-20-20 rule for screen use. This involves looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

As you set your resolutions for the coming year, consider adding eye health goals to your overall wellness plan. Good vision is not just about seeing well. It's about staying independent and confident throughout your lifetime.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Also, if you would like to schedule an eye appointment with one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.