Our guide to maintaining good vision and eye health

Wondering how you can keep up with good vision and eye health? Read on to discover our top tips and tricks for protecting your vision and keeping your eye health at its best.

The importance of good eye health

Having good vision and eye health is important at any age. Regular eye exams are a great way to detect vision and eye health problems early so that appropriate treatment can be put in place as soon as possible to protect your eyes from any permanent damage as much as possible. People with a family history of eye diseases or who are diagnosed with diabetes may need more regular eye exams than others.

What diseases can be detected with an eye exam?

Common eye conditions include cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are all eye diseases that can be detected with an eye exam and advanced retinal imaging like our 3D OCT scan. If these conditions remain undetected and untreated, they can have a detrimental effect on your eyes – potentially even leading to vision loss.

Good vision and eye health are equally as important for children because the ability to see well influences their learning and development. There are many childhood eye conditions like lazy eyes and squints that should be diagnosed and treated as early on as possible as they can be corrected at that stage and may remain permanent and cause vision problems if left untreated.

So apart from attending regular eye exams, what else can you do to protect your vision and eye health at home?

Tips for healthy eyes

1. Quit smoking – Smoking can harm the optic nerve and increase the risk of developing eye diseases like AMD and cataracts.
2. Eat well – Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and vitamins C and E are great for your eyes. Great foods for eye health include dark, leafy greens, salmon, tuna, eggs, nuts, and citrus fruits.
3. Wear protective eyewear – Wearing sunglasses for UV protection, safety goggles if you work in construction or are even doing DIY can help protect your vision from UV damage, and eye injuries.
4. Exercise regularly – Staying active helps lower your risk of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol which can cause eye problems.
5. Rest your eyes – Staring at a digital screen for prolonged periods of time can lead to eye fatigue and dry eyes. We recommend resting your eyes every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds and seeing if special computer glasses could help you or your child to reduce eye strain and increase comfort levels.

Book an appointment

If you’d like more advice from our experienced team, or it’s been a while since your last visit, contact us or book an eye exam to ensure your vision and eye health are in top form at our opticians serving Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park today.