Your eyes are an important part of your body, but not necessarily one you might think about taking care of. Ensuring your eyes are as healthy as possible can help protect them from disease, which untreated can cause visual disturbances or vision loss. Here’s how to care for your eyes and keep them healthy.

Eye Care Tips

Here are some of our top tips for caring for your eyes.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon.
• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of diabetes, which can cause retinopathy and glaucoma.
• Exercise regularly as this reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Rest your eyes. This is especially important if you spend a significant portion of your day on screens.
• Wear sunglasses in bright sunlight to reduce your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
• Don’t smoke.
• Depending on your age, health, and family history you may be more at risk of certain eye problems. Knowing what these are and getting regular check-ups can help you detect any potential issues in the early stages.
• If you wear contact lenses, always read the instructions and follow best hygiene practices to reduce your risk of infections.

Roshni Patel, BSC (Hons) MCOptom, expert optometrist from Lenstore says:

“Most eye discomfort can be attributed to tiredness or mild irritation and isn’t anything to worry about. However, if it persists, and especially if it’s accompanied by any changes to your vision, you should contact an eye specialist as soon as possible and get a check-up to ensure it’s not a sign of disease or indication of any damage to the eye.”

Possible Signs of Eye Problems

Here are some possible signs and symptoms that may indicate that something is wrong with your eyes.

• Narrowed vision. This is where you can only see directly in front of you and are struggling to see things ‘from the corner of your eye.’ If severe, you may even feel like you have ‘tunnel vision.’
• Double vision can be a result of alcohol or drug use, however, if it occurs without either of these things, it should be an immediate cause of concern.
• Blind spots are where a portion of your vision presents as a dark spot or flickering light. These can present with some migraines, however, they can also be suggestive of serious health problems, including a stroke, tumor, or multiple sclerosis.
• Eye swelling might be from something as simple as an allergy or mild infection but can also indicate serious health issues like Graves Disease.
• Eye pain isn’t normal unless you know you have something in your eye or have suffered trauma to your eye or the surrounding area.
• Itching or a scratching sensation. This could be something as basic as having dry eyes or a small object in your eye, like a hair or speck of dirt but it could also indicate a more serious problem, such as an eye infection.
• Floaters or speckled vision. This can happen to any of us if we have looked at something too bright and might also accompany a migraine for some sufferers. However, frequent floaters or spots in your vision should be investigated.

If you experience any of these symptoms or notice any other changes in your vision, it’s important to consult a doctor and get your eyes checked without delay.