Let’s face it – maintaining healthy habits is probably one of the hardest things to do. It’s not always the most budget-efficient endeavor.
For many people hustling hard, it’s easy to trade sleep and healthy food for more work hours.
Though being mindful of your health is extremely beneficial, most of society has already made a habit of neglecting it for other reasons.
Health plays a crucial role in one’s life. One of those body parts you should pay close attention to is your eyes.
They are the window to your everyday living. Start paying close attention to your eye health.
Read on to learn seven healthy habits to maintain good eye health.
Contents
1. Wear UV Protection
Ultraviolet (UV) light is a type of radiation found from sunlight. There are three kinds of UV light—UVC, UVB, and UVA.
Since it has the lowest frequency, UVC doesn’t pose that big of a threat with the ozone layer deflecting it.
However, the same can’t be said for the other two when prolonged exposure can increase the risk of cataracts, eye cancer, and macular degeneration, among other things.
In selecting a pair of sunglasses, many features are displayed along with multiple designs and brands.
So, to help narrow down your search, look for sunglasses that feature UV protection.
Store-bought sunglasses often don’t have these on display, only for brightness or contrast, especially knockoffs.
Therefore, you should visit your optometrist to purchase legitimate sunglasses there.
2. Practice Proper Hygiene
Perhaps the age-old golden rule for a healthy body is this: maintain cleanliness.
Since your eyes are some of the most sensitive parts of your body, the least you can do is keep yourself from touching them often—or better yet, never touch them with your bare hands.
Because as sensitive as your eyes are, the same can’t be said for one’s hands. Hands are probably the most used body parts.
Whether it’s out of habit or by accident, people are bound to touch their eyes. And more often than not, this gesture could get your eyes irritated.
Washing your hands is a common practice taught in many households. Although it might sound too basic, applying this practice in your life can be a huge boost in killing off bacteria and other similar substances.
Here, you have a better shot in protecting your eyesight, especially when handling something as fragile as contact lenses.
3. Use Appropriate Workplace Protection
Although washing your hands is a valuable practice, that won’t be enough for other aspects of life, mainly hands-on work.
After all, as harmful as it is to stare at a computer screen for hours on end in an office, undertaking work in a setting such as a construction site or any job in the same vein can get extremely dangerous.
Because, here, not only are you shouldering more mental toll as demanded by the job description, but you’re also putting your body at risk.
Whether you’re handling complicated machinery or hefting a bag of cement, working in these areas is bound to leave anyone with their fair share of injuries after a busy day at work.
And despite how some work in a controlled environment, accidents can still happen right around the corner.
To lower the possibility of getting hurt on the job, headgear is a must-have, specifically hard hats and goggles.
If your line of work involves welding, you need a welder’s mask to shield your eyes from the bright light instead of a clear pair of goggles.
4. Be Ergonomic
It’s not uncommon for our eyes to feel worn and tired after a long day’s work.
Stress and fatigue can come from staring at something for too long without blinking often.
Many lifestyles these days call for sitting for hours in front of a computer, facing spreadsheets and reports.
Our eyes are not supposed to be fixed on one thing for too long. It’s a wise decision to optimize your workplace to accommodate your eyes.
Besides reminding yourself to blink often, ensure that the overhead lights are as bright as your screen and make adjustments for your gadget’s display, such as:
- Text size and font
- Brightness
- Contrast
This way, you don’t need to narrow your eyes or bring the screen closer to your face when you can see its contents properly.
5. Eat For Your Health
Consuming healthy food means honing your body towards the path of good health.
Much like other organs, our eyes are directly affected by our diet and eating habits.
As such, providing oneself with food that helps with your eyesight can help maintain its proper grade.
And at this point, it’s probably common knowledge how carrots are good for the eyes when they contain vitamins A and C, which are some of the most crucial nutrients in boosting eye health.
Along with green and yellow foods possessing the following:
- Beta-carotene
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
On another related note, always keep an eye on your sugar levels. After all, having too much of it can easily ruin one’s diet.
6. Get Tested Regularly
Even at a young age, eye conditions sprout up unexpectedly. Some of them are hereditary, leaving anyone susceptible, despite good eye care.
Therefore, to stay ahead of your health, include a visit to the optometrist in your schedule.
Their eye tests can identify any abnormal fluid build-up and pressure that could lead to a chronic condition.
7. Know When to Rest
Remember to rest your eyes now and then. Doctors recommend you gaze upon something that’s 20 feet away for 20 minutes.
This relaxes the eyes and removes the strain it feels whenever it fixates on something at a close distance.
Getting a full night’s sleep also works wonders for your eyes and the rest of your body.
Why You Need To Practice Proper Eye Care
Our eyes provide one of our most important senses – sight. It’s wise to be mindful of our habits that directly affect our eyes.
Remember our tips above and avoid serious eye conditions like cataracts or macular degeneration.
As you work on caring for your eyes, your healthy habits will also benefit other important parts of your body.
