Watch out for your eyes: World Glaucoma Week
You rely on your eyes every day and if you knew there were a couple of simple things you could do to help them out, you’d do them – right?
In celebration of World Glaucoma Week from 8 – 14th March, we’re sharing tips about promoting good eye health and protecting your eyes against harmful blue light.
Keep an eye out for glaucoma
Glaucoma is a progressive group of eye diseases that attacks the optic nerve that carries information to the brain and if it’s not treated, it can cause visual problems and eventually blindness. However, with early detection, medication and surgery can stop vision loss in its tracks. Be sure to have a professional eye exam every year, especially if you’re over 60.
Wear the right sunglasses
Much more than a simple fashion accessory, sunglasses are actually a fantastic way to protect your eyes from damaging ultraviolet rays. When choosing a new pair, make sure you choose a brand that offers 99 to 100 per cent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation protection.
Be wary of blue light
The sun isn’t the only light you should be worried about, many of the digital screens we spend so many hours looking at daily emit a blue light that can damage eye health. Protect your eyes by limiting the time you use your devices before bed – switch to a book rather than an iPad for reading before sleep – and speaking to an eye care professional about lenses that filter out blue light. These improve contrast and help eyes relax.
Let your eyes recuperate
If you do spend a lot of time in front of the computer, you may also be at risk of eyestrain. To stop your eyes from becoming fatigued, make a conscious effort to blink often and remember to build breaks into your day. The 20/20/20 rule is a good one – after 20 minutes of work, look at something around 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Eat an eye-friendly diet
Eating well is a great way to give your body, and your eyes, everything needed to stay strong and healthy. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, especially dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, as well as plenty of food high in omega-3 fatty acids, like tuna, salmon and halibut.
Say no to smoking
The health benefits of giving up smoking are numerous and cigarettes are as bad for your eyes as they are for the rest of your body. Stub them out and lower your risks for problems like age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage.
Give your eyes the respect they deserve and do everything you can to keep them happy and healthy – all year round.
Disclaimer
All content on Silversurfers.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated at all as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Silversurfers will not be responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content on http://www.silversurfers.comand we are also not liable for the content of any external websites or links from or to Silversurfers to any other websites. Please always consult your own doctor if you’re in any way concerned about any aspect of your health.
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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