It’s important to get a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year. This should include a dilated retinal exam with fundus photos. A cursory eye exam, such as that used to determine your need for corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, is not sufficient.
This is because the pupil is very small, and it’s difficult for your eye doctor to get a good look at the back of your eye and the membrane lining it called the retina unless the pupil is first dilated.
The retina receives light signals and sends them to the brain through the optic nerve. The brain then interprets these light signals into the images you see.
Without a healthy retina, normal vision is not possible. The retina may be damaged by certain diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also pull away from back of the eye either completely or partially. This is called retinal detachment.
A serious problem with the retina can cause total blindness in one or both eyes.
A dilated eye exam may reveal the presence of damage from diabetes you didn’t know about and may catch a retinal tear or detachment while it’s in its most treatable stage. Both conditions are best treated as early as possible to preserve your vision.
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It’s important to establish an ongoing relationship with an eye doctor familiar with you and your medical and vision history. If problems occur, an eye doctor you see regularly will know this is a new issue you didn’t have before.
Besides seeing your eye care professional regularly, there are some other things you can do to keep your eyes healthy:
Eat properly. This means several servings daily of fruits and vegetables, sufficient lean protein,
healthy oils (called fatty acids) and complex carbohydrates like whole grains. Avoid refined sugar and simple sugars as much as possible. Simple sugars include honey, fructose and maple syrup. Although these are touted as being natural, they are still processed by the body the same as refined sugar.
Although fruit contains the sugar fructose, it’s not the same as consuming fructose by itself or in a processed food product. This is because fruit contains fiber, which alters the way the body metabolizes the fructose. Fruit also contains minerals, vitamins and very important compounds called antioxidants.
These compounds protect the body’s cells by preventing or limiting damage to them. Certain of these compounds, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, are thought to protect the eyes and may help to prevent a retinal eye disease called macular degeneration.
Foods rich in these antioxidants include kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, broccoli, zucchini and corn. Both lutein and zeaxanthin, often combined with vitamin E and C and the minerals copper and zinc, are available in supplement form.
Ask your eye care professional about these supplements before using them.
Don’t smoke and quit if you already do. Smoking is associated with a wide array of health problems including those of the eye. Smoking is linked with a much higher risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye syndrome and uveitis, an inflammation of one or more of the eye’s three main layers. Uveitis can blind.
Avoid eye strain especially from phones and computer screens. Constant use of these devices without taking regular breaks can result in blurry vision, headaches, dry eyes, neck and shoulder pain and problems with distance vision.
In fact, the sharply rising incidence of myopia or nearsightedness in children worldwide is linked to kids using their near vision way too much by playing video games on phones and computers indoors instead of playing games outside as previous generations did. Sunlight is important for young, developing eyes and may help to slow myopia progression in youngsters aged six to 12.
Sunlight also provides the body with vitamin D, a critical nutrient for developing bones.
Here are some hints for eye health and your computer and phone screen:
- Take short but frequent breaks and look away at distant objects during this time. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for at least 20 seconds
- Install an anti-glare screen
- Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen
- Talk to your eye doctor about symptoms of eye strain: burning, watery or sore eyes that hurt more when you move them, light sensitivity, shoulder and neck pain and headaches. Your doctor can prescribe special computer glasses for you
Many people must work on computers for extended periods of time as part of their job. You may not be able to avoid this but take at least a 15-minute break from intensive computer screen use every two hours. This may help to prevent or at least limit eye strain.
Conclusion
Don’t take your precious sight for granted. Take care of it by eating right, keeping your weight within normal limits for your height and body type, exercising regularly and avoiding eye strain. Encourage your youngsters to play outside and limit their use of computer screens and television.
Be sure to visit your eye care professional as often as they recommend. This is the best way to catch any problems early and keep your eyes healthy for life.
