New Year’s Resolutions
It’s easy to agree that eyes are AMAZING organs that work very hard every day to keep us seeing clearly and comfortably! It’s also very easy to sit back, let our eyes do their job, and not think much about them. Unfortunately, our eyes usually only catch our attention when something is wrong.
Prevention is very important when it comes to maintaining good vision and eye health. Just like servicing your vehicle before it breaks down, the eyes need regular maintenance and monitoring to keep them working to their full potential. So, what can you do to improve your eye health, vision and comfort in 2022?
1. Book in your eye “service”!
EVERYONE should have a regular eye health exam with their eye doctor, even if your vision and eye health seem perfect. You will be advised on your vision status, your complete eye health, and what your review schedule should be for check-ups going forward. Many eye conditions do not have symptoms in the early stages and leaving eye conditions undiagnosed and untreated means poorer eye health and vision outcomes when the condition is eventually discovered. The external and internal components of the eye are incredibly complex and regular checks with your eye doctor will give you the best chance at maintaining healthy eyes and great vision.
2. Clean your eyelids every day!
Our eyelids are like the windscreen wipers on our car. They wipe across the surface of our eyes 15-20 thousand times a day! Their job is to clear debris, spread our tears and help our excess tears drain. Each lid also contains about 30 tiny oil glands, which produce the very important outer oily layer of our tears. Scrubbing our eyelids and eyelashes daily is very helpful to decrease bacterial load, reduce eyelid inflammation and improve oil gland function. This means healthier lids, better quality tears, a clearer cornea (your eye’s windscreen!) and reduced infection risk.
3. Improve your Omega-3 intake!
Omega-3 consists of essential fatty acids that our body requires for overall health but can only be gained from food sources or supplementation. These are found in food sources such as oily fish, and certain nuts and vegetable oils. Many of us are deficient in Omega-3 or have an inappropriate fatty acid ratio (too many Omega-6 or Omega-9 fats). Omega-3 fatty acids are in high concentration in the tissues at the back of our eyes and may help preserve macular and retinal health. They are also very important for oily tear production and can improve dry eye symptoms. Talk to your doctor before starting a new diet or supplements.
4. Make sure your specs are giving you optimal vision!
Spectacles are a therapeutic device and require a prescription from an optometrist. Beyond those numbers written on your prescription there are a lot of factors that go into the proper fitting and dispensing of spectacles. The lens design needs to be optimized for your needs, but your optical dispenser will also check that the lenses are properly centred for your pupil, that your frame has the appropriate wrap, tilt and fit to ensure clear comfortable vision.
5. Take breaks and big blinks!
Our lifestyles are rapidly changing and involve much more screen use than our eyes are used to. When looking at digital screens our blink reflex is suppressed, and our tears can evaporate too quickly leading to dry, tired eyes. Focussing up close for long periods of time also puts a lot of stress on the near focussing muscles inside our eyes. It is important to remember to take regular breaks and big blinks when using digital devices. Try to follow the “20/20 rule”, which means after every 20 minutes or screen use, take a 20 second break, look 20 metres away (or far into the distance) and have 20 big blinks. This relaxes your eye muscles and refreshes your tear film for more comfortable eyes!