Our vision is something that follows us throughout our life. Some of us see well enough to be pilots and some of are wearing bifocals before we start school. Either way, if we don’t maintain good care of what we have, we can set ourselves up for a more difficult journey through life than it already is.
Unfortunately, the majority of us take our vision for granted. Especially, if we have good vision. Most of us do things that hurt our vision in the long run. There are also things that we forget to do that can have the same effect. Here are three of them.
You Don’t Have A Regular Eye Doctor
The majority of us have a primary care physician. That is a great start to having an overall healthy life. However, your PCP is not certified to take precise care of your eyes. They can only perform general eyesight test and refer you to an optical specialist.
Having a dedicated eye doctor already in your repertoire will make sure that your vision is as well maintained as possible, not to mention, if there ever is a situation that your PCP picks up on that requires a trip to the eye doctor, the transition is much smoother for you and your doctor if you already have one on file.
Neglecting Your Diet
There are many reasons that we should already be keeping to a healthy diet. Our eyesight is just one of them. Nevertheless, it is something that the majority of us don’t consider regularly.
Simply eating healthier will not only maintain our vision, but prevent vision-related illnesses, as well. For example, eating fish is proven to help prevent macular degeneration. Your leafy greens can help you avoid cataracts and there’s always Bugs Bunny’s favorite food, the carrot.
Just the color of carrots and other brightly colored fruits and veggies is thought to help maintain and improve sight.
Forgetting Protection
As we go along our day, many of us and our children spend a great deal of time outdoors, looking at computer screens, or playing sports. We abuse our eyes daily and most don’t even think about it. When spending long periods of time outside, the sun can be as damaging to your eyes as it is to your skin.
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause everything from cataracts to complete loss of vision. Make sure to invest in a good pair of sunglasses. Sitting in front of a computer screen is a great way to simply wear your eyes out.
It is wise to take an occasional break from surfing the internet or writing that paper. Lastly, sports are a great source of exercise and all around fun, but the majority of athletes protect everything but their vision. Protective goggles are a good choice, especially when participating in contact sports.
In the end, your vision will only be as good as the care you invest in it. Take advantage of the knowledge above and see the light at the end of the tunnel.