Preventive health care for your eyes is important since half of all blindness and ninety percent of eye injuries can be prevented. The following tips can help you maintain good eyesight and enjoy the visual world for years to come.
1. Avoid eye injury by wearing protective eye gear while playing sports such as squash or tennis. Always wear protective eye gear when hammering or drilling or doing any other work which has a risk of eye injury.
2. The eyes need rest, just like other parts of your body. Prolonged reading or staring at computer screens can cause eyestrain. Try to blink regularly and rest the eyes by closing them or staring far away for a few minutes for every 30-40 minutes of work.
3. Excessive exposure to wind or air flow from air conditioners can cause irritation (burning sensation) and tearing, similar to the symptoms of dry eyes. Try to avoid air flow which causes eye irritation.
4. Always have your reading material at an appropriate distance (about a foot away) from your eyes and make sure there is adequate lighting.
5. Periodic medical eye examinations are important. People over 45 years old should have a yearly routine eye examination. Diabetic patients need an eye examination each year. People with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye examination each year after the age of 40 years.
6. The following eye symptoms need the attention of an ophthalmologist:
- Blurred or distorted vision
- Sudden loss of vision
- Seeing floating spots or flashing lights
- Double vision - Red eye with or without discharge
