Make a commitment to your eyes this new year by trying out some of our resolutions to promote eye health. Many of these work hand-in-hand with other health-related resolutions.
It’s that time of year, again, time to start thinking about the New Year’s resolutions to help change your life for the better in 2018. Many people choose to focus on their health, vowing to eat better, stay active, or lose weight. While these are all fantastic ideas to keep you healthy in the New Year, why not consider also making your eye health a priority? Fortunately, most of the things you can do to protect your eyes and vision also have a positive impact on overall health. So this year, when you’re thinking about all the veggies and sweat sessions at the gym in your future, also think about making these small additions to your New Year’s resolution list: · Stare at your smartphone less We’re all guilty of being somewhat addicted to our smartphones. While they can provide us with hours of entertainment, straining to read the small text of your Facebook or Twitter feed could be contributing to the eye discomfort you feel every day. Using your smartphone for hours on end can cause eye pain, blurred vision, dry eyes, dizziness and nausea. Try cutting down on the amount of time you spend staring at your phone or at least take a break every 20 minutes to let your eyes rest. · Wear your prescribed glasses This may seem like an easy one, but far too many people forget or don’t want to wear the glasses their Edmonton eye doctor prescribed them. Excessive squinting can quickly strain your eyes, which causes pain and discomfort. Do as the doctor orders and always wear your eye glasses. And when it’s sunny out, be sure to have a pair of sunglasses handy. · Stop sleeping in your contacts Contacts are not meant to be slept in. It’s one of the first rules they tell you when you get your lenses, but so many of us break it. While it may not seem like a big deal, sleeping in your contacts greatly increases your risk for eye infection. When our eye doctors prescribe contact lenses to our Edmonton patients, we always remind them to remove the lenses nightly to prevent permanent damage. Try adding this simple task to your resolutions. · Get 7 hours of sleep every night Not getting adequate sleep every night can lead to a number of health problems, including weight gain and depression. So this resolution is a great way to improve many parts of your life. A lack of sleep can also have a negative effect on your eyes, ranging from eye twitches to dry eyes and blurry vision. Do your entire body a favour and try getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night. · Start eating a well-balanced diet This probably goes hand-in-hand with other resolutions you’ve already made, but eating a healthy diet is also a great way to promote eye health. Try incorporating more foods into your diet that are rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein, which is very important for your eyes. These include citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, leafy greens, and fish. · Visit your eye doctor yearly This is probably the most important of them all. While many of us tend not to go to the eye doctor until we notice a problem, it’s crucial to eye health to visit your doctor regularly. Our eye doctors in Edmonton can help detect serious eye problems, such as glaucoma, which often show no symptoms in their early stages; however, early diagnosis and treatment will help preserve your vision. Your optometrist can also see signs of other health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, which can cause changes to your eyes; if you have already been diagnosed with these conditions, regular eye checkups will allow us to monitor changes that might affect your vision. We also encourage yearly eye exams as many people assume their sight is better than it really is. Driving under these circumstances is putting you and others at risk for car accidents and injury. Do your eyes a favour this New Year and make your eye health a top priority. Many of these resolutions can have positive effects on your overall health, so they’ll help you reach your other goals as well. If you would like to learn more about additional methods to improve the health of your eyes or would like to schedule a checkup, please call Optometrists’ Clinic Inc. We look forward to seeing you—and to helping you see better!